Taiga Aisaka!
I think most of you predicted that this is how it would go, and myself as well-- I just don't think Yui is that popular, certainly not as popular as your average Rie Kugimiya tsundere character. (This is her fourth big one: Louise from Zero no Tsukaima, who made it to the quarter-finals, Shana from Shakugan no Shana, and Nagi Sanzenin from Combat Butler Hayate (just barely didn't make it to the finals).
It's pretty fascinating to me that after all of the buzz about Saki, and after half of the quarter-finalists being Saki characters, that neither made it into the finals. I still wonder if it was some amount of backlash, or if Saki fans just got too split at the end to push their girls through. Either way-- interesting stuff. Thanks to the folks at AnimeSaiMoe.org for saving me a bunch of time looking up character names!
Okay, guys. Time to throw a party for the winner! Share your favorite Taiga art. (Or as far as I'm concerned, feel free to throw in some Louise, Nagi, or Shana.) :D
You can also feel free to speculate on who from this season might appear in SaiMoe 2010!
I called wrong!
OH WELL!
I humbly bow down to Taiga! She truly Deserves it!
Maybe we should start calling Rie Kugimiya the Mistress of Moe as well as the Queen of Tsundere!
Because making it to the finals, losing by a mere 54 votes, beating the invincible Hinagiku, & still having more overall votes than anyone in the tournament (including Taiga) clearly means Yui's not popular. =b
Scene open - Heero walks down the hallway nodding approvingly at Taiga. Taiga nods back and then gives Heero a brofist. Meanwhile Yui is crying in the background pulling on Mio's skirt bantering incomprehensibly. -Scene fade out to credits
Showin em' who's boss girl! Nice job Taiga! WOO!!
Yes, it's good.
^fix'd