The Best of 2016

EDIT: I can't believe I forgot to say this when I first uploaded this, but anytime's the right time to mention this.
On October 13, 2016 I lost someone who meant a lot to me...that someone was my grandmother Liwayway. My cousins call her Lola Way, but I call her Nanay (Filipino for "mother"). After my mom's divorce, my mom had to take up two jobs and no one was able to take care of me when I was little so Nanay went from the Philippines to the United States to help take care of me. In 2003 when her sister died, she returned and remained in the Philippines. I was also in the Philippines that time so I got to see her a lot. We always watched "The Sound of Music," to the point that it became one of my all-time favorite movies.

In December 2009 she was petitioned by my uncle to come to the United States, so of course she lived with us. She was on dialysis a lot and I was able to help her out when she wanted to get up. I remember we used to eat at a lot of restaurants, go to the mall a lot, even some movies--the last movie we watched together was Melissa McCarthy's "Spy." She was with us until August 2016, where we found out her days are starting to be numbered. We decided it was best to send her back to the Philippines since she grew up there and all. My mom went back with her twice--first time to make sure she got there safe, and the second time in October when things were going bad.

Unfortunately, I remained in New Jersey; I wanted to go with her but it would conflict with my school schedule. I woke up on October 13 to a message from my cousin--"Ryan, Lola Way is gone. Today at 5 pm." You can imagine how devastated I was. Mom called and told me the news, too. She also asked me to tell her supervisor at work that she'll be home on time--she works at a hospital, and I was actually gonna go there anyway to send a form involving a job application there. I got to her supervisor at pathology, and let me say right now they felt like family--they heard the news about Nanay's passing and as I was going up to them I had some tears. They hugged me and even decided to pay for a plane ticket to take me to the Philippines for the funeral. I missed a whole week of school, but I didn't care--Nanay meant so much to me, I regret that she wasn't able to see her grandson one last time that I had to at least see her one last time. On October 20, she was cremated and now I carry a pill-sized urn as a necklace wherever I go.

2016 was indeed a dark year for the world, and while these pieces of entertainment made me feel good and happy this personal moment is certainly one I'll never forget. Nanay, I'm sorry that you never got to see me one last time, but just know that I love you and I still miss you to this day.

DISCLAIMER: I did NOT make any of the vectors or backgrounds seen here--all rights go to their respective owners.

It's that time again--the end of the year! MAN was 2016 rather depressing. Aside from the bad stuff, I'm just glad there were still some great fictional stuff this year to keep us entertained and escape all the dread. So just like last time, this is my Top 16 list for 2016!

Before I get into it though, I do want to give a HUGE special mention to the Star Wars franchise. I'll admit, I never saw the original trilogy and the Force Awakens until this year, and I actually got back from seeing Rogue One earlier on the day I make this. While I did enjoy Star Wars, I've been thinking that it wouldn't really be fair to include an entire franchise in a list. Yeah, I've done it with Mega Man back in 2011 or Miyazaki's movies back in 2014, but still I feel it's better for individuals to make the list. Plus, I'm not too obsessed with Star Wars and I personally thought Rogue One was good, just not having enough wow factor (except for the climax and final moments, DAMN). On top of that, I am glad that I got into Star Wars before the unfortunate passing of Carrie Fisher--may God bless her.

Oh and before you say "Where's Final Fantasy XV, La La Land, My Hero Academia, or any others" keep in mind that I didn't get to check everything out in 2016 as I've got a lot of stuff going on with my personal life. As for FFXV, I don't have a PS4.

OK, all that aside this is the Top 16 of 2016 for real:

16.) Wakfu (2008-present)
    This is the first time I've included something on this list that was from France. Could've done it with Miraculous Ladybug last year, but that doesn't seem like my kind of show. Wakfu on the other hand has a lot going for it. I first saw Wakfu in the Philippines back in January (my cousin was having a wedding, so while at the hotel, I saw this on TV and recognized it because of the memes I saw). The animation intrigued me, so when I got back to the US I watched it on Netflix and really enjoyed it. I'm still not finished with it and there is a third season coming soon, but nonetheless I love the characters, the crazy adventures they have, and even the show's lore. Not a fan of the toilet humor in the show sometimes, but it's definitely got some good jokes. I really hope to see more of this show soon. If you guys do check this show out, watch it in French. English dub isn't really stellar in my opinion.

15.) Super Mario Galaxy (2007)
    This is another entry that I should've gotten into back when it first came out. I don't remember if I mentioned this, but around the time SMG came out I wasn't into Mario all because I couldn't beat Super Mario 64 (on the DS). After playing Mario Kart 8 and Super Smash Bros. 4, I wanted to check out other Mario games. I'm glad to have bought Galaxy, because this game still holds up very well. I also like the spin on the regular Mario story, in that the stakes get VERY high. And let's not forget to mention the introduction to one of the most fleshed out characters in Mario: Rosalina. Needless to say, she's a really cool addition to the Mario franchise and I'm glad she's becoming a part of the Mario family. I decided to give my Wii away to my cousins, meaning I don't have a Nunchuk anymore. When I get one again, I'm definitely gonna play SMG again.

14.) Shantae Half-Genie Hero (2016)
    If you know me by now, you probably should've seen this coming. This was what Mighty No. 9 should have been--a well-designed platformer with colorful characters, awesome music, and clever wit. I wish I got to back Half-Genie Hero back in its 2013 announcement, but sadly I didn't have a job at the time. It kept the same charm and wit the other Shantae games had, but I think this is the best Shantae game in the series. This game has been three years of hype, and I'm glad it was all delivered.

13.) Deadpool (2016)
    *cue Montell Jordan's "This Is How We Do It"* Yes, this is how Deadpool should have been when it comes to live-action adaptations: a fourth-wall-breaking, wise-cracking, and vulgar badass, not that X-Men Origins bootleg. Not only that, the movie was well-structured in its storytelling and self-awareness regarding the superhero genre, and it's an R-rated superhero movie done right (I liked Watchmen, but I'll agree that movie didn't hit the same strides that Deadpool did). And I'm honestly surprised this movie got nominated for two Golden Globes -- one for Best Actor in a Comedy/Musical Film, and one for Best Musical/Comedy Feature. Very fun movie overall.

12.) Doctor Strange (2016)
    This is the second Marvel movie on this list, and there's a third one coming later and you'll know what it is. But we're not talking about that, we're talking Doctor Strange. Is it another MCU origin story? Yes. Is it promising? Yes. In all honesty, I enjoyed this movie more than Ant-Man in visuals and story, mainly because I found Doctor Strange more interesting. Elephant in the room is the special effects, and it's pretty much Inception on steroids--glad I saw this in IMAX. As for the story, it's basic yeah but the characters and powers did get me interested in it enough to love it. I also didn't expect some humor in this movie, so it hooked me into it even more. And in my opinion, this film is like Guardians of the Galaxy in that it can be seen as a movie that isn't connected to the MCU. Sure we got Infinity Stones and such, but all that aside I still can't believe this is in the same universe as the Avengers. Loved Doctor Strange, one of my favorite MCU movies to date.

11.) Casino Royale (2006)
    Yes, the movie that launched Daniel Craig's career as Agent 007 James Bond, is on the list. I still like Skyfall more than Casino Royale, but the action in Casino Royale is a lot better than the one in Skyfall. I gotta give credit to Chris Stuckmann for this because if I didn't buy his book, I wouldn't have watched this movie at all. I like how they portrayed Bond in this movie, especially in how it almost deconstructs the 007 franchise. It's also thanks to this movie that I wanna go to a casino for my 21st birthday, which is in about three months. Watched this numerous times over the year, loved it every viewing, will watch again whenever I want.

10.) Zootopia (2016)
    As many people probably know already, this movie got way too real--and that's why I love it. Not only did we get colorful characters, but it also handles the issues going on today in a very clever manner. I feel like this was probably a movie for last year since Disney didn't really have an animated feature last year, but I'm glad it came out this year like it somehow predicted how these issues are becoming bigger in society. Love this movie, but I do feel bad for my cousin--I feel like he's ignoring the film's message and is more focused on shipping Nick and Judy.

9.) Re:Zero ~Starting Life In Another World~ (2016)
    And I thought Kill la Kill was already a wild ride, Re Zero is my wild ride for this year. It dips down around the second arc, but needless to say there are a LOT of twists and turns that get me so riled up in this anime. I do like the characters as well. Aside from Rem, Subaru's one I admire too. I can see where the controversy with him lies, but I do like that he calls out his own flaws and learns from them--it's how he develops as a character. When the drama hits, the drama hits! When there's humor to be had, the humor hits. And when there's suspense, it hits! I hope to see more from this anime soon, but for now I may pick up the light novels.

8.) Kirby Planet Robobot (2016)
    It's been awhile since I played a Kirby game. The last one I played was Kirby Superstar Ultra 8 years ago. I decided to get this as an early Christmas gift for myself, and I really like it a lot. I love the new mechanics of this game, as well as the new abilities. On top of that, like any surprise to Kirby fans, I like the darker themes in this game. I still haven't completely beaten Planet Robobot, but I still think the game deserves a spot on this list.

7.) Moana (2016)
    While I loved Zootopia, Frozen, Wreck-It Ralph, and Tangled, Moana made me feel like I was watching a classic Disney movie in the same vain as Aladdin or Hercules. I do actually think this movie is better than Frozen in making fun of classic Disney Princess tropes. Let's not forget the music--to this day, You're Welcome (who knew Dwayne Johnson can sing) and Shiny are still stuck in my head. Moana was definitely spectacular, and I can't wait to see how far this movie will go.

6.) Higurashi no Naku Koro ni (2006 (Kai 2007))
    This anime was long overdue on my part. I knew about this anime around the same time as I watched Haruhi Suzumiya, Lucky Star, and Code Geass, but I never got around to it because I have seen some scenes of the show and I felt they were too graphic for me. Finally decided to check it out this year, and much like Wakfu I gotta finish this because the mysteries and twists this show has keeps me interested. Unlike Re:Zero's time loops, this show's time loops can get annoying when they keep reminding you about key events, but it's told in the same way Pulp Fiction's story is told--the perspective of different characters with different scenarios playing out each loop. I'm still enjoying the series and I can't wait to finish it.

5.) Overwatch (2016)
    *gasp* A non-Nintendo game that has the same hype as a Nintendo game?! Well yeah, if it weren't for Tracer's ass I wouldn't have heard of this game, let alone have a lot of fun with it. Let's get this out of the way, this game and TF2 are very similar in gameplay, but I find Overwatch much more interesting than TF2. I like OW's lore more, as well as the wider variety of characters. At first, I wasn't gonna get this because the beta didn't run well on my computer. Buying it was a risk vs reward for me, the risk was it wouldn't run well, so all I did was turn the visual settings down (even with them down, the game looks gorgeous) and while it isn't 60fps, it's still very playable which was the reward. I didn't play much of it because I got the game in August and couldn't play much of it because of school, but whether I watched streams or played it, this game is definitely deserving of a spot in this list.

4.) Kubo and the Two Strings (2016)
    The first time I've included a Laika film in a list since Coraline back in the 2009/2010 list. I had a hard time thinking which of the three animated films on this list is the best, and while I loved Zootopia and Moana, Kubo got me even more than those two. Despite a rushed resolution from the climax, the movie still had lots of heart and emotion. Great action as well for a stop-motion movie. And the humor's nice too, provides a good balance for all the drama. Do I even need to talk about the visuals? I feel like I watched a stop-motion version of a Miyazaki movie. Just watch the trailers for it--hell, just watch the movie, it's worth the time.

3.) Captain America: Civil War (2016)
    OK, my Top 3 are pretty predictable because there are three major picks from this year I didn't talk about yet, and Civil War is one of those pics. Yeah, we've seen the Avengers fighting each other before, but what makes this movie's fights much better than other Avengers quarrels is that the fights here get very personal. They have a sound reason to fight one another. Also, this movie has one of the best villains in the MCU--a normal person who managed to split the Avengers apart. Was it all relying on convenience, yes. Do the Avengers become friends in the end, yes. Did they get back together again? Not really! While Batman v Superman had similar plots, Civil War handled it MILES better than BvS for one reason: BUILD-UP! We're 8 years into the MCU, and all those movies have been leading to this moment. Civil War may be my favorite movie of 2016 just for all those reasons.

Before I reveal Number 2 and 1, I just wanna say that these two were rather difficult for me to decide. The list was already hard enough, but after thinking about these two picks this is what I came up with

2.) Pokémon Sun and Moon (2016)
    Major improvement from Generation 6's games. I love the refreshing take on the main series Pokémon games, not to mention the dark story this game has. The characters are all very likable again, the villains are more dastardly than before, and the twist with the endgame makes it very satisfying. Only thing I have against it is that the postgame is the same as the other Pokémon post games--challenge the League again, a battle facility with important trainers that you occasionally meet, extra story that's a fetch-quest, legendaries to catch. I'm looking to into that, but still I love the characters, I love the new Pokémon, I love the new style--I just love Sun and Moon in general!

1.) Fire Emblem Fates (2015/16)
    Again, if you knew me by now you would've seen this game coming, especially since I didn't mention it anywhere else on this list. Oh man, I've said SO MUCH about these games. The games are flawed yes, but despite that Fates had me incredibly engaged in the stories and gameplay more than Sun and Moon did. I really enjoyed going through three different stories to see how things will turn out for Corrin. I liked the irony that Hoshido's light path isn't as light as we see it, and that Nohr's path isn't as evil as they say. I feel these games get so much hate that it doesn't deserve. I find My Castle to be a great part of the game too, in that not only can we interact with our units but also with other players and battle them--which is what I've been wanting in a Fire Emblem game. I LOVE Fates, the characters, the music, the stories (despite flaws), the gameplay--I find Fates to be my favorite game of the year, as well as my overall favorite pick of the year.

Other honorable mentions: Bayonetta, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, Finding Dory, the Jungle Book (2016), Space Patrol Luluco, Suicide Squad (guilty pleasure), The Martian (2015), The Amazing World of Gumball

And that is my Top 16 of 2016. This was one of the hardest lists I've ever made, and that poster is the most clustered one I've ever done--I wanted to theme it off of sides because it seemed to be a recurring theme I saw this year (Batman vs Superman, Team Cap vs Team Iron Man, Predator vs Prey in Zootopia, Hoshido vs Nohr in Fire Emblem Fates, hell even that trainwreck Trump vs Clinton). In terms of content on the list, very good content--I like that a majority of the list is actually stuff from 2016. I also do like that Casino Royale and Higurashi were at their 10th year this year, so they also felt very fitting.

Like I said, 2016 was a horrible year regarding news, but when it came to entertainment other than celebrity deaths, it definitely delivered and helped keep our minds off of the horrible things. Let's hope 2017 does get better.

The Top 10 of 2009-2010: rylade475.deviantart.com/art/T…
The Top 11 of 2011: rylade475.deviantart.com/art/T…
The Top 12 of 2012: rylade475.deviantart.com/art/T…
The Top 13 of 2013: rylade475.deviantart.com/art/T…
The Top 14 of 2014: rylade475.deviantart.com/art/T…
The Top 15 of 2015: rylade475.deviantart.com/art/T…
The Top 17 of 2017: rylade475.deviantart.com/art/T…