Jane of the Year Awards 2025!

12/14/2025

It's hard to believe, but this is the third Me Awards. Are things bigger and better than ever? Not really! It's the same little recap of media and stuff I enjoyed. As usual, I often struggle to actually remember half of the things I did through the earlier parts of this year, and I make no claim to any kind of objectivity or clarity of mind. To receive a Golden Jane award, something need only be a highlight in some way of my year. So, still commercial free... the Jane of the Year Awards!

Game Of The Year!

UFO 50 (2025, Nintendo Switch)

This was an easy one. While I'm a little late to the party here, I think the 50 community would agree that the experience still shines brightly. All these games are fun, but the driving force behind UFO 50 is the joy of discovery. Most of the games in the compilation, intentionally, don't explain themselves much. Not every game in the compilation is a super banger, but how do you know if you don't poke around, try it out, and see what's possible? The sheer number of "Aah-haaa!" eureka moments make it feel like a never ending box of assorted candy.

With a few multiplayer and assorted strategy games here, my irl friend group and I became enraptured with games like Avianos and, especially, Party House. I forced them to get the Cherry for Party House, which provided us with multiple weekends of arguments as to which cards and strategies were effective. If that's not video games, then what is?

UFO 50 also excels in storytelling on its own, unique terms, with recurring fictional developers, characters, and callbacks littered throughout the whole thing. The fact that somebody thought to have spiritual successors and sequels to games in this compilation is, frankly, genius. I wrote about this earlier in the year as well. There aren't a whole lot of ways to slice it where UFO 50 isn't an exceptional game. It's really got it all. It's so, so much more than a fun, deluxe sized throwback. But it is also that. This game is an enormous achievement in damn near everything that can make video games a great hobby.

Honorable Mentions:

• Under Night In Birth II Sys:Celes

Quite possibly the best fighting game I've played in recent memory. Or maybe ever? It's really damn well done. Fighting for GRID, getting access to Chain Shift make for a satisfying and special core system. "2NI"'s cast of characters play basically nothing alike, while also all rewarding strong UNI and fighting game fundamentals. Only one problem with this game: How hard it is to find matches. For some, that's not a turn off, but for me it is. I do not feel like waiting 15+ minutes to see if someone can play from the Discord server. While it's not a total wasteland either, it definitely kept me from playing after a while. Still, absolutely phenomenal and fun game here.

• Megabonk

Another game that became a hit with my friend group, it's very fun and dopamine releasing, but it's also a little shallow. There are only so many runs I can do with attack speed and projectile count increase. It also pisses me off when I start a great run and then blow it. Still, this is one of the best "podcast listening" games in my loadout.

• Nubby's Number Factory

I spent a healthy amount of time nubbing my shit, willfully ignoring my doctor's orders. Nubby is yet another in my fascination with incremental/toy/number go up type games, and Nubby's is very enjoyable. You can imagine I quite enjoy that somewhat odd Web 1.0, early 3d graphic artstyle. Strategy with builds and items is king, while luck and the plinko mechanic is secondary. It's easy as hell to break it and get infinite scores for your main run, and there are lots of challenges for real nubbers. Great game.

Best Video Game Replay

Ratchet & Clank (2002, PlayStation 2)

It wasn't a big year for me replaying games, but I don't regret my decision to grab the original Ratchet off my shelf. The PS2 quadrilogy, in particular, were very formative games for me in my youth. I could probably play through any of them with my eyes closed. Ratchet 1 is not nearly as refined as its immediate sequel would be, but it makes up for it with a more equal balance of platforming and shooting that I've always appreciated. The story in 1 is also among the best in the series, to this day. Ratchet slowly opening up and trusting Clank as they save the galaxy together from an evil CEO-money grubbing type piece of shit? It's classic.

By the way, in this game you can airdash by hitting R1+X after a jump, a feature I don't think ever got brought back. You can also strafe with the Jet Pack by double tapping R1, then holding L2, something I don't think is ever mentioned in game, but makes the final boss a LOT easier.

I didn't have any new emotions replaying this one, just a satisfying sense that I'll always love this game. A rock solid foundation for a series that I would call the best on the PS2.

Honorable Mention:

• Jak 3

Jak 3 got a brief mention back in my 2023 wrap up, being mentioned as lesser (to me) than Jak 2. I ended up doing a playthrough this year, and yeah. The pacing in Jak 3 is all over the place, and the story has some unusual turns. Still, this game gets by a lot on how many guns and powers you end up with. Jak 3 is a total breeze with basically no challenge at all (compared to 2, especially!), but it's an invigorating and fun power fantasy too. I could never outright dislike it or not enjoy playing it, but technically it might be the worst in the trilogy.

Anime Of The Year

New Panty and Stocking (2025, Trigger)

No contest. They actually did it. Not only did Panty and Stocking come back more colorful and crass than ever, they might have come back better than ever before. I never thought I'd say that because I'm rather fond, even protective of the original PSG, but I can't ignore the truth. New Panty and Stocking didn't disappoint for a moment. And I looked. I was very anxious about this at first and expected to feel let down, and was very happily proven wrong every week. Nothing kept me laughing and smiling and feeling strangely empowered in my new womanhood as these angel bitches. Thanks, ladies.

Honorable Mentions:

• Uma Musume Pretty Derby: Season 2

My peers were right about this one. Season 1 is an interesting, almost "early installment weirdness" series that I did enjoy watching. But season two, starting Tokai Teio and Meijiro McQueen as leading ladies, tells a hard hitting story about bouncing back when your dreams are crushed again and again. It's heartbreaking. It's uplifting, it's kind of funny and very sweet as well. I'm currently making my way through Season 3, so we'll see if that shakes out as just as good.

• NinKoro: A Ninja and Assassin Living Under One Roof

I haven't actually finished the very last chunk of this series yet (blame timezones, friends, and employment), but it's been beyond delightful. There are a lot of inventive visuals (somewhat like Bocchi the Rock, in that regard) and Satoko is just so adorable. I want to adopt her myself!

Worst Anime Of The Year

Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX (2025, Sunrise & Studio Khara)

What the fuuuuuuuuck was this? Watching it for myself a few months after the fact, this is an irritating anime. A frustrating mess that is way overly fixated with the Universal Century at the expense of the entire story. I'm sorry, but when you have something as fresh and inventive looking as this, with this creative team, it was just the wrong decision to make it this way. I mean that with my whole chest. I am quite familiar with the classic UC Gundam series, and it still sucks. Watching it go that direction is heartbreaking. Machuu and Nyan deserve a whole do over for this mess. Shuji belongs in a Worst Gundam Character Hall of Fame.

Manga of the Year

Bloom Into You (2017-2020, Seven Seas)

Another series I haven't totally wrapped up yet, for the simple fact that I am overwhelmed with emotions every time I read a volume. Yuu and Touko are characters I see a lot of myself in, so seeing this relationship unfold is exciting. It's romantic-ish and beautiful, but it's sort of hard to describe how unbelievably captivating it is without reading it for yourself. Yuri experts already know this series by heart, and it's been eye opening for me as well. I bet the anime is good, too. I'm comfortable saying this was the outright best manga I read this year.

Honorable Mentions:

• Gaea Tima The Gigantis (KENT, Kodansha, 2025 English Release)

I was very excited about this one following the conclusion of KENT's last work, COLORLESS, which totally kicked ass. Gaea Tima is great, too, it's fun to see this author play again in a slightly more natural world like our own. Of course, we don't have giant monsters (just yet.) Gaea Tima wears its Ultraman and Godzilla inspirations on its sleeve, but has a wholly original story that's more than just tribute. I'm very happily enjoying these as they come out. Thank you, Kodansha!

• Bocchi the Rock Sidestory: Kikuri's Heavy Drinking Diary (Kumichou, Yen Press, 2025 English Release)

Releasing slowly but surely in English, Heavy Drinking captures the same charm and humor as the original series. Seeing the Bocchi world in a different artsyle is a hoot, and there's no reason for any BtR fans to not to read this. Kikuri makes a compelling and funny main character all on her own, and I highly recommend the first volume to see that picture get painted. Yen Press also started releasing Anthology comics for this franchise, so now I've got THREE Bocchi series on my shelf. I'd get a fourth, too!

Comic Of The Year

Green Lantern/ Green Arrow: Hard Travelin' Heroes (1970-1972, Denny O'Neil and Neal Adams, DC Comics)

This was a hard category. It was also a big year for me to explore the DC world that I so rarely do. That was the case until DC let Gretchen Felker-Martin go and recalled Red Hood, which led me to cancel my Infinite subscription and stop buying DC stuff at my LCS for the time being. Turning back the clock to one of the most classic runs of the Silver Age, the Hard Travelin' Heroes era of Green Lantern and Green Arrow is exactly as good as I'd always heard over the years. Fuuuck. Denny O'Niel takes massive swings for 1970, and hell, some stuff is pretty hard hitting today. This was also one of my first full experiences with Neal Adams' artwork. CHRIST.

While not every political, topical swing the series makes holds water 50 years later, it's an extremely compelling and bold read today. At bare minimum, it's an amazing piece of history. A must read for anyone interested in English comic history.

Honorable Mentions:

• Trail of the Catwoman (2001-2002, by Darwyn Cooke and Ed Brubaker, DC Comics Compact Release 2025)

These Compact books that DC puts out are sick. At 9.99, I got it as I was passing the checkout at our local Books-a-Million. I mean, damnit, they're basically perfect! This was my first one. Anyway, the actual story here is wonderful. As a cat-lover myself, I thought investigating a bit of Catwoman would be fun. And I was right! Very right. This collection casts Selina Kyle as a protector for some of the most vulnerable and invisible in Gotham City. That is, after she gets herself back together. Cooke's art is fine as hell, apparently he was the one who created that modern look for Catwoman. How disturbing to think she went so long without it! Only problem with this collection is that it ends on a bit of a cliffhanger. Don't let that deter you though, this was very close to being my winner for the year. You'll love it.

• Deadpool/Batman (Marvel/DC, 2025)

I wanted to give this one a shoutout. Finding myself back in comic shops this year, this is the one big book 2025 with lots of hype around it that I bit on. It's a ton of damn fun, and I got the gorgeous Peach Momoko cover as well. While I wouldn't nominate it as best for any particular story, eagerly awaiting this to hit comic stores with everybody else was a fun experience for me. Being excited for comics is fun, and sharing that excitement multiplies that. I even brought it over to my friend's house to let them take a look.

Movie Of The Year

Disney's Living Characters: A Broken Promise (Kevin Perjurer/Defunctland, 2025)

As it typical for me at any given time, I don't sit down for that many full movies. However, thanks to a friend and my own anticipation, I did sit through the latest Perjurer documentary. I think anyone else who watched the whole thing would agree, it is a documentary film. So, I'm going to include it here. Kevin (may I call him that?) takes us through the history of Disney's unusual and maybe disturbing, sometimes flirtatious affair with autonomy and the illusion of life. It's hilarious and depressing, two of the best things to be, and to describe too much more would spoil the fun. Kevin's presentation skills and delivery have only gotten better as the videos he releases have seemingly ballooned in scope.

Final Thoughts, And Thanks

This was a big year for me, personally, as I transition and stuff. I stepped away from new game experiences by not buying a Switch 2, and converted my "gracefully aging" desktop computer into a Linux only machine. I found myself back in the niche(?) world of local comic shops, collecting, and monthly releases. I even started a YouTube channel for that. This site and some of my other work got more attention than ever as my Bluesky following like, quadrupled?

In other words, I got a ton of support this year, for projects and posts big and small. I can't thank you all enough for the kindness you've shown me. Even if you skimmed one post, two seconds of a video, or you clicked on the deer.

So, thank you all for everything, and I hope you'll visit again in 2026!

- Jane