Saimoe Wiki
Register
Advertisement
Saimoe Wiki
Anime Saimoe Tournament
CustomLogo
Anime Saimoe Tournament 2014 logo
Information
Abbreviation AST, J-Saimoe, Saimoe
Formation 2002
Languages Japanese
Leader 300
Main Staff Administrators
Website AST 2013 Main Page (Dead link)

The Anime Saimoe Tournament (アニメ最萌トーナメント Saimoe for short) was an online popularity contest. Held annually on the Japanese Internet discussion board 2channel between 2002 and 2014, fans vote for the most moe anime character of the year. In the mid 2000's, the tournament garnered growing attention from international fans, and inspired a number of similar contests. However, due to declining interest and increasingly restricting rules on 2channel, the Tournament was cancelled completely after the 2014 contest ended.

Rules and principles[]

Saimoe employs a single elimination tournament format to determine the most moe female character amongst thousands of contestants from anime newly aired or released during the previous year. Precise rules vary slightly each year. In 2010, the format of the tournament ran as follows:

  1. Initial nominations: 2channel users are prompted to submit candidates for entry. Eligible characters are any female characters that had appeared in a non-18+ anime series, OVA or anime movie broadcast, released between July 1, 2009 and June 30, 2010.
  2. Preliminary round I: The 2500-odd initial nominees are divided into 16 groups. The top 12 characters with the most votes in each group will advance to the main tournament directly. Characters ranked 13th to 39th are sent to preliminary round II. Voters are allowed up to 10 votes per group in this round.
  3. Preliminary round II: The 432 (27 characters x 16 groups) characters qualified for this round are again divided into 4 groups. The top 24 characters of each group will advance to the main tournament. Voters are allowed up to 12 votes per group in this round.
    Saimoe Overview

    Saimoe Overview

  4. Main tournament: The 288 qualified characters (192 from preliminary round I + 96 from preliminary round II) are shuffled and grouped into 8 blocks of 36. There are a total of 6 rounds in the main tournament. The first round features two 4-way matches each day; the second round, two 3-way matches each day; and the third round, one 3-way match each day. After this point, only 8 contestants will remain. Each will then engage in one-on-one matches until the one remaining character becomes Saimoe champion.

In case of draw: anyone who gets a draw in a qualified position will advance to the next stage. In the first round of the main tournament, some matches in block A may contain groups of five to support the "extra" qualified character.

While the voting process may be the most visible feature of Saimoe, participants are strongly encouraged to contribute more than their votes. They should try and express their moe feelings towards their favorite characters, by exchanging comments and "supporting material" of all kinds.


History[]

Results[]

The final 3 rounds of the tournament features the Final Eight of the tournament.

Year CHAMPION Runner-Up Third and Fourth Fifth through Eighth
2002 Sakura Kinomoto Ayumu Kasuga Tomoyo Daidouji, Doremi Harukaze Isami Hanaoka, Miyu Kouzuki, Tsubasa Shiina, Koboshi Uematsu
2003 Riku Harada Motoko Hara Éclair, Hiyono Yuizaki Kiku No. 8, Mikaze Honjou, Sora Naegino, Arashi Shinozuka
2004 Rosemary Applefield Nadja Applefield Luna, Maia Mizuki Elenore Baker, Nagisa Misumi, Sora Naegino, Ranpha Franboise
2005 Nanoha Takamachi Souseiseki Shinku, Rei Mii Kanna, Shizuru Fujino, Natsuki Kuga, Seina Katsura
2006 Suiseiseki Fate Testarossa Shana, Chikaru Minamoto Eruruu, Yuki Nagato, Eri Sawachika, Rin Tosaka
2007 Rika Furude Nagi Sanzenin Shinku, Rena Ryuuguu Louise Vallière, Tsukasa Hiiragi, Konata Izumi, Nanoha Takamachi
2008 Kagami Hiiragi Tsukasa Hiiragi Hinagiku Katsura, Nagisa Furukawa Fuuko Ibuki, Tamaki Kawazoe, Tomoyo Sakagami, Kirino Chiba
2009 Taiga Aisaka Yui Hirasawa Nodoka Haramura, Mihoko Fukuji Koromo Amae, Isumi Saginomiya, Louise Vallière, Yuuki Kataoka
2010 Azusa Nakano Nagi Sanzenin Koromo Amae, Nodoka Haramura Mafuyu Shiina, Ruiko Saten, Shana, Aoi Yamada
2011 Mami Tomoe Kyouko Sakura Madoka Kaname, Erica Hartmann Ika Musume, Ruri Gokou, Sayaka Miki, Astarotte Ygvar
2012 Toki Onjouji Kuro Matsumi Nodoka Haramura, Hisa Takei Shana, Louise Vallière, Yuu Matsumi, Saki Miyanaga
2013 Madoka Kaname Sayaka Miki Watashi, Kyouko Sakura Ruri Gokou, Mami Tomoe, Kyouko Toshinou, Tsukiko Tsutsukakushi
2014 Nodoka Haramura, Saki Miyanaga Shizuno Takakamo, Sayaka Miki Homura Akemi, Kyouko Sakura, Toki Onjouji, Kuro Matsumi

Reception Outside Japan[]

Foreign votes have increased dramatically since 2005. However, due to a series of massive disruptions caused by foreign voters in 2006 and again in 2007, 2ch moderators decided to start banning foreign voters and proxy voters, along with many IP addresses that were sending in fake votes. As such in 2008 vote totals dropped by an average of 500 votes per round. In 2009, vote totals were down even more by about 300-400 votes. Despite this, foreign IPs and DSL providers continue to be permanently blocked. People who use Comcast, America Online, Time Warner, Adelphia, and/or other major cable internet service providers would often find themselves unable to receive vote codes or post in voting threads. The situation was remedied somewhat in the 2010 tournament, since 2ch moderators set up an auxiliary voting thread for those who are banned from 2ch.

Foreign reactions to the banning have been mixed. While some praise the 2ch moderators for finally doing something about all the "mess" that was being caused, others complain about them taking away one of the fundamental parts that makes the tournament interesting.


Winners Gallery (2006-2012)[]

External links[]


Articles[]


Character Tournament Series with Wiki Articles
Bold indicates a currently active competition (had a tournament since January 2021).
2000's Anime Saimoe TournamentKorea Best Moe TournamentInternational Saimoe LeagueGameFAQs Character Battles
2010's /r/anime (Best GirlBest GuyBest CharacterSeasonal Salt)Aniplus Character TournamentBilibili MoeSenpuuSociety European SaimoeThe Great Awwnime BracketMr. and Ms. /co/King and Queen of /v/
Notable Saimoe Tournament Series in East Asia
2channel (AST) 2002200320042005200620072008200920102011201220132014
Anizone (KBM) 2006200720082009201020112012
Aniplus (ACT) 201320142015201620172018201920202021
Bilibili Moe Japan 2015201620172018
China 201620172018
Anime Saimoe Tournament
2002-2014. Organized by 2channel users.
Tournaments 2002200320042005200620072008200920102011201220132014
Champions Cardcaptor Sakura KinomotoRiku Harada Riku HaradaRosemary Applefield Rosemary ApplefieldNanoha Takamachi Nanoha TakamachiSuiseiseki SuiseisekiRika f Rika FurudeKagami Kagami HiiragiTaiga Taiga AisakaAzusa n Azusa NakanoMami Tomoe Mami TomoeToki Onjouji Toki OnjoujiMadoka Madoka KanameSaki MiyanagaNodoka Haramura Saki Miyanaga x Nodoka Haramura
Related pages SaimoeAST Statistics & Trivia
Elite Eight Contestants
Bold underlined indicates a girl finished runner-up at least once
Aoi YamadaArashi ShinozukaAstarotte YgvarAyumu KasugaChikaru MinamotoCure BlackDoremiEclairElenore BakerEri SawachikaErica HartmannEruruuFate TestarossaFuuko IbukiHinagiku KatsuraHisa TakeiHiyono YuizakiHomura AkemiIsami HanaokaIsumi SaginomiyaKannabi no MikotoKiku No. 8Kirino ChibaKoboshi UematsuKonata IzumiKoromo AmaeKuro MatsumiKyouko SakuraKyouko ToshinouLouise de la ValliereLuna (Uninhabited Planet)Mafuyu ShiinaMaia MizukiMihoko FukujiMikaze HonjouMio AkiyamaMiyu KouzukiMotoko HaraNadja ApplefieldNagi SanzeninNagisa FurukawaNatsuki KugaRanpha FranboiseRe MiiRena RyuuguuRin TohsakaRuiko SatenRuri GokouSawa OkitaSayaka MikiSeina KatsuraShanaShinkuShizuno TakakamoShizuru FujinoSora NaeginoSouseisekiSquid GirlTamaki KawazoeTomoyo DaidoujiTomoyo SakagamiTsubasa ShiinaTsukasa HiiragiTsukiko TsutsukakushiWatashi (Humanity)Yui HirasawaYuki NagatoYuu MatsumiYuuki Kataoka
Advertisement