15) Nodame Cantabile & Steins;gate
I'm totally not cheating by putting two shows together in the same entry. Not at all! Okay, let me explain: I forgot an anime I really enjoyed -- something I wanted on this list. The reasons I have for these two shows being on here is synonymous anyway, so it makes sense to have them here together despite being very different shows.
With that taken care of...
Nodame Cantabile is about Shinichi Chiaki, a musician and composer that desires to aim for the top among the most elite musicians in Europe. However, he first has to get over his fear of flying and build up an orchestra worthy of recognition. That's only half the story though; a girl known as Nodame (Megumi Noda) that plays piano manages to catch his attention with her eccentric style, yet it turns out she loves the hell out of Chiaki and proclaims her love for him outright. The show solely focuses on classical music and its arena in the modern world, an element that distinguishes the show from other music-oriented efforts and other anime in general. Because of the focus, the music is obviously top notch. The characterization takes center stage with a broad focus on music and aiming for the top among the highest of competitions. Nodame also tends to be a pretty lighthearted show with both romantic and comedic elements; in other words, it's a great pick-me-up show that's sure to impress even those without musical inclination and introduce them to the world of awesome classical music and endearing characters.
Steins;gate is a show centered around the eccentric and self-proclaimed "Mad Scientist" known as Rintarou Okabe and his own laboratory. The premise is that one day, he and his friends/colleagues discover how to send text messages into the past using their microwave, which alters the state of time and allow them to manipulate time travel indirectly. However, the organization CERN has been researching time travel as well, pursuing Okabe and company relentlessly. While time travel is commonly tampered with, Steins;gate pushes the envelope by messing around more with indirect alterations and their consequences. The show provides thought-provoking themes about the acceptance of one's actions and their consequences and the gravity of playing God with humanity's trek. Additionally, the characters are charming and memorable with their special quirks and attitudes that even parody the current "otaku" culture to some extent. Steins;gate is definitely a must for fans of sci-fi with romance and comedy elements. The show does have slow pacing in the first half with more of a lighthearted comedic approach, but the second half picks up quickly as an engaging and unforgettable thriller.
Why I Chose Them: These two shows are quite the unlikely duo to be putting together; in fact, the next show on this list probably fits with Steins;gate more than Nodame. However, they have something that draws me in all the same -- chemistry between the two main characters of both shows. Chiaki and Nodame have this lovable, goofy relationship that sends me into a smile every time I see Chiaki deny her advances and effort. Nodame never gives up though, which is why I admire her character's perseverance to the max. Likewise, Okabe has a similarly awesome chemistry with fellow mad scientist Kurisu Makise. Okabe himself is an excellent character, yet Kurisu manages to compliment him extremely well; they're a scientist duo that I can't get enough of. The backdrops of both shows are awesome enough as is, but the character chemistry is what ultimately sold me.
14) The Girl Who Leapt Through Time
Have you ever thought about obtaining the power to turn back time? Have you ever wanted to reverse the consequences of your actions in order to obtain what you consider the "perfect" life? The Girl Who Leapt Through Time is a movie that centers around a simple high school girl who similarly stumbles upon such an ability, forever altering the perspective of her own life and the choices she makes from then on. While at first she uses the power on very trivial and miniscule things, the consequences of playing God's hand stack up and culminate in tragedy. Much like Steins;gate, The Girl Who Leapt Through Time tackles the same questions of controlling the idea of time in a much more simplistic and straight forward narrative. However, the charm of the film comes from its focus on underestimating daily life and the little actions and behaviors you fail to pay heed to. In addition, the scoring of the movie is eloquent and upbeat or somber and melancholic as need be, providing nice melodies of piano and violin all around. And of course, the characters are extremely likeable to the point where you really do feel for them in every single way. There is also a romantic backdrop within the context of the film which is superbly executed. All in all, The Girl Who Leapt Through Time is a timeless classic in and of itself.
Why I Chose It: I'm fascinated by the human concept of time. A lot of my choices on this list are actually centered around the consequences of manipulating it selfishly. I compare this movie to unwavering adolescent innocence. As we grow, we believe we've found the true nature of the world, that there is nothing left to learn and that we must choose what we will do with what we've been handed. So what if you're given the chance to change all of your mistakes that you previously had to live with? What if with a simple change in response or behavior, you can wipe away all your problems? But that simply isn't true... We can't escape those consequences. That's the biggest lesson this movie has taught me -- make as best of a decision as you can and accept the consequences of your actions. Most of all, keep what's important to you close to your heart and never take for granted the supposed predictability of our path in the world. And need I even mention the stellar characterization and romance going on at the same time? It's no question that this one is a modern classic and deserves to be in this list. All of us can learn from even the hypothetical.
13) Beck
I was made to hit in America! These lyrics echo in the opening of Beck, a show about a young adolescent boy who is struggling to find his identity in life when he comes across a musician that forever changes his life and his goals. The two of them then create a band with other musicians and try to aim for fame, tackling the conflicts and problems that arise along the way. Realistic characters and conflicts play center stage in an otherwise music-oriented show. There are far more ups than downs in the journey of Beck. There's the struggle for identity, the fight for fame among fun, the need for money, the constantly sinking ship of romance, and the important of unity and friendship among those who love the same thing. Every character is important in some way and contributes their own problems and resolutions to a story that echos the inner possibility of humans to achieve something meaningful within their lives. The music is a nice blend of rocking riffs and ballads despite the weird Engrish. Overall, Beck establishes a foundation of youth and adolescence with great music and a fun ride. After watching this one, you're sure that even you can make a hit in America despite the setbacks and turmoil of a slightly dysfunctional band.
Why I Chose It: I love music. Until high school, I never really listened to it much though. Sure, I played trumpet in middle school, but that was merely a hobby. With the advent of trying to find my own identity, I can heavily relate to Beck's themes of finding one's self amidst the problems that may arise. I kindled a love for music my freshman year in high school. Within that discovery, I had also found this show. It was part of what inspired me to pick up and learn bass guitar for myself. If I ever had a dream back then, it was to someday play with a band. And I still feel that to an extent these days despite losing my drive and motivation to practice daily. But hey, maybe with another rewatch, Beck will keep me coming back to one of the things I love most. Music is amazing. I don't want to waste my effort. Because playing bass was what helped me the most when I didn't know what to do. Music is an entirely different world in and of itself, one that improves me as a person. Beck always shows me why I should never forget that.
12) Usagi Drop
Parents. They are the ones who birth us into existence and sacrifice their lives for our sake. Usagi Drop is about a bachelor of sorts who stumbles upon a young girl who was the product of an illegitimate relationship between his grandfather and an unknown woman. With his entire family not wanting to shoulder the embarrassment of an illegitimate offspring, Daikichi takes it upon himself to adopt and raise Rin as his own despite being single and clearly having no experience whatsoever with children. Thus begins the heartwarming tale of the two as Daikichi learns how to be a good parent through hard work and sacrifice. The characters are simply fun and elicit emotional responses from the viewer with even the smallest of situations. The animation is very good and the music provides an absolutely fantastic backdrop to the whole experience. The anime is among my favorite stories, but pass on the manga -- the second half completely ruins the magic of Rin's childhood and Daikichi's trials of becoming a suitable parent. Regardless, Usagi Drop is one show that should make one think about the meaning of parenthood and what it takes to fulfill the role.
Why I Chose It: My own mother means the most to me. She essentially raised me of her own accord through the midst of my parents' divorce and gave me all the love and support I ever needed. She continues to do so until this day, and I never quite grasped the gravity of her actions and compassion until I watched this show for myself. Parenthood is something I cannot hope to understand at this point in my life, but the amount of daunting effort it takes makes me admire my own mom even more. Despite not being her blood-born father, Daikichi does what it takes in his journey to become a dad. Rin is a very sweet and cute kid. Watching both of them together has got to be one of the best feelings I've ever had while viewing anime. Parents are awesome when they give it their best. This one really made me think of my own circumstances. Maybe one day I can forgive my dad. Maybe one day I'll be able to pay back my mom for all she's done for me. I hope that I can become the adult they wanted me to be. That's the least I can do for all the work it must take.
11) The Disappearance Of Haruhi Suzumiya
Aliens, time travelers, and espers are only allowed from this point onward! Originally, The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya was a light novel series about a girl named Haruhi Suzumiya that believes in these supernatural entities and makes a club to discover them. The main character by the name of Kyon gets dragged into her grand scheme and actually makes contact with the other members who happen to be those entities themselves! At the crux of it all is the revelation that Haruhi may actually be considered God and that various factions are out to determine her true nature. Unfortunately, she doesn't seem to be aware of her own abilities, so the club has to tread lightly and deal with the consequences of her inner turmoil as they affect the external world. While the original first season of the anime is pretty great and the second season has the infamous and ballsy Endless Eight to its name, the true masterpiece in the Haruhi saga is the movie adaptation of the fourth volume, The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya.
In The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya, the SOS Brigade decides to hold a Christmas party. While preparing for it, Kyon arrives at school days later to find out that everything around him has changed. Haruhi is nowhere to be found and the other club members do not recognize him. The entire world has changed its face, and the only one who remembers the original world is Kyon himself! Stunning animation and music aside, the plot and characters are absolutely phenomenal even if they're a bit inferior to their light novel counterparts. Kyon's revelation about his times with the SOS Brigade and his true identity and desires as he analyzes the situation with himself has to be one of the most emotionally gripping scenes in all of anime. While Haruhi is known far and wide, Disappearance is the real masterpiece of the bunch, blending together the elements of the series itself with absolute perfection to create a unique ride that will leave you wanting to delve into more of the series. And don't worry -- it only gets better from here!
Why I Chose It: The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya was one of the first shows that displayed the promise of the medium to me. It was different. It was daring. The series itself has become my favorite light novel series by far, spanning 11 different volumes to date. Kyon is one of my favorite protagonists due to his snarky and sarcastic attitude towards the weird and unnatural events in his life as he tries to temper the bustling and exciting Haruhi. The entire main cast of characters have interesting quirks and personalities beyond their supernatural personas as well, making the show highly enjoyable in seeing all of them mix and match with each other in dialogue as Kyon comments on all of his observations and inferences. Haruhi is just an innocent search for something beyond the normal, and for that I salute it. Disappearance is by far the best anime adaptation of my favorite novel of the series.
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