"Re: Zero" is apparently more popular than what some anime fans might have assumed. The anime adaptation of the hit Japanese light novel series has the numbers to back its bid as the top anime 2016, besting another highly popular anime "Yuri on Ice."
For anime fans, a list of last year's top anime per country as well as the top anime ranking has been released by Crunchyroll. Based on the map released by the online streaming giant, a quick glance shows that the anime "Re: Zero" is the most popular worldwide and beats the other popular anime released last year "Yuri on Ice."
"Re: Zero," the anime version of the manga series, topped the charts in a number of countries. It is the most watched anime in North and South America, as well as in almost all of European countries save Poland and Czech Republic and is also the most watched in Australia and New Zealand.
On the other hand, the second-ranked "Yuri on Ice" is the most popular anime last year for Southeast Asian countries such as Laos, the Philippines, Singapore and Vietnam as well as Taiwan. The figure skating romance is also popular in African countries Botswana, Malawi, Burkina Faso and Sierra Leone as well as European countries Poland and Czech Republic.
However, the result came as a surprise to some anime fans. Many were actually expecting "Yuri on Ice" to lead the survey after the anime was named as the most tweeted-about anime of fall 2016, according to Polygon. The show was lauded for its unique storyline that deals with the challenges faced by an ice skater as well as his coach. Of course, the series' romantic aspect is likewise a favorite topic among its sizable fan base spawning numerous fan fiction and arts.
While the show might not be very familiar to the casual anime audience, "Re: Zero" already has a well-established fan base. The Japanese series is actually based on an existing manga of the same name. In addition, the franchise has already released several short novels in the past. Loyal fans are likewise thrilled with the unusual story of main character Subaru, who is trapped inside a magical game-esque world.
Completing Crunchyroll's list of top ten anime for 2016 are "Twin Star Exorcists" ranked third, "Mob Psycho 100" at fourth, "ReLIFE" at fifth, "91 Days" at sixth, "Berserk" at seventh, "Noblesse: Awakening" at eight, "Jojo's Bizarre Adventure DIU" at ninth and "BROTHERHOOD FINAL FANTASY XV" at tenth.
Meanwhile, for those who are interested to learn on what "Re: Zero" has to offer, enjoy the brief video below: