Anime Saimoe Tournament

Anime Saimoe Tournament
Anime Saimoe Tournament 2012 logo
Information
Abbreviation	AST, J-Saimoe, Saimoe
Formation	2002
Languages	Japanese
Leader	300
Main Staff	Administrators
Website	AST 2012 Main Page

The Anime Saimoe Tournament (アニメ最萌トーナメント Saimoe for short) is an online popularity contest. Held annually on the Japanese Internet discussion board 2channel since 2002, fans vote for the most moe anime character of the year. In recent years, the tournament has garnered growing attention from international fans, and inspired a number of similar contests.

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

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.

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			Watashi, Kyouko Sakura	Ruri Gokou, Mami Tomoe, Kyouko Toshinou, Tsukiko Tsutsukakushi

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.

Trivia

• There are also only two (2) characters who won as Champion in both the Anime Saimoe Tournament and in the Best Moe Tournament in the female division: Suiseiseki (Anime Saimoe Tournament 2006; Best Moe Tournament Champion 2006), and Taiga Aisaka (Anime Saimoe Tournament Champion 2009; Best Moe Tournament Champion 2009). Both Suiseiseki and Taiga won their Anime Saimoe Tournament and the Best Moe Tournament on a single year: 2006 and 2009, respectively.
• Currently, there is no character yet who won as Champion in both the Anime Saimoe Tournament and in the International Saimoe League (ISML).

See Also

• Saimoe
• Best Moe Tournament
• International Saimoe League

External links

• Official website for the 2010 edition
• News article announcing start of Anime Saimoe 2010
• Online Megazine announcing start of Anime Saimoe 2009
• Unofficial English Site