In compiling a showcase of Web animation, one quickly discovers the vast amount of content that is out there. Everyone loves to read lists. We're addicted to them. The compulsion to see what is included is hard to resist. However constructing them is a tough venture. With such a vast amount of intriguing animated work being done for the Web, creating a definitive list of "The Best" is both futile and arbitrary. This showcase by no means constitutes everything great from 2006, but just a sampling. Included are big names in the industry and independents that made a name for themselves on the Web with something new. We hope the showcase provides readers a glimpse into the variety of work being done for the Web and the quality level of the productions. We also encourage readers to post in the comments section other shorts and webisodes from 2006 that aren't in the showcase, which deserve attention as well.

Akumi -- Episode 2 -- The Hunter

Akumi -- Episode 2 -- The Hunter
Primal Instinct Prods.

The young female assassin, Akumi, heads out to kill her mark - a violent monster rapist. After the shocking first episode, which had to be edited for broadcast on YouTube, the anime-inspired Akumi Web series really hits its stride in the second episode with sharper dialogue and wonderful action and subtle acting. Akumi is a good example of a production that would be nearly impossible to produce in the U.S., especially for TV or even the direct-to-video market. The second episode of the series not only displays the skills of the animators, which includes creator Milton Pool, but also the potential for a series to grow in quality as it proceeds.

Arj and Poop -- Unlucky in Love

Arj and Poopy -- Unlucky in Love
Arj and Poopy

Arj laments to his cat Poopy when his girlfriend's excuse for breaking up with him seems questionable. Bernard Derriman, who is well known on the Net for his music video for Everyone Has Had More Sex Than Me, and Arj Barker won Annecy for this well-written comedy. The Unlucky in Love episode is a perfect example of subtlety going a long way. Well-timed looks create big laughs. There's also a richness to the artwork that is sometimes lacking from many Internet productions.

Doogtoons Asks a Ninja -- The Truth About Darth Vader

Doogtoons Asks a Ninja -- The Truth About Darth Vader
Doogtoons

A ninja reveals the secrets behind the distinctive voice of Star Wars' black-clad villain Darth Vader. For the popular AskANinja.com site, Doogtoons produces Flash shorts that show how simple animation can work wonderfully when it's well timed. The humorous monologue is only enhanced by the witty visuals. And, as other toons in the showcase, it shows George Lucas' space epic still inspires filmmakers of all mediums.

Bendito Machine

Bendito Machine
Zumbakamera

Aggression rules as two neighboring villages fight over the control of the gifts from strange giant robots. In competition at the 2006 Annecy Festival, Bendito Machine, with its distinctive silhouette style, shows how simple design can create an evocative environment. The Net is filled with "message" films, but few convey their anti-war stance as universally and originally as Zumbakamera's Flash-production. Great design, writing and timing come together in a funny and poignant short.