25) Spice and Wolf (both seasons)
Romance shows tend to gravitate near the bottom of my favorites for some reason. Ah, whatever, most of this isn't in a specific order anyway. Spice and Wolf is about a peddling merchant named Lawrence Craft that discovers a wolf deity that goes by the name of Holo while stopping by a village. The two of them then decide to travel together due to Holo's desire to go up north. There are two facets to the show, and both of them are fantastic and superbly done. The first is obviously romance. The chemistry between Lawrence and Holo is unforgettable; their constant teasing and flirtation with each other to see who gains the upper hand in the midst of their travels is unrivaled by any other duo I've seen. Every conversation and action is full of charm and the desire to understand. There's a bit of supernatural in it because of the nature of Holo's character, but it takes a backseat to their interactions. The other facet of Spice and Wolf involves economics in a medieval-esque setting, which is an extremely unique perspective in the type of time period portrayed. Bartering and merchant wares and deals of all sorts take place in the show as Lawrence hopes to gain the money to open up his own business someday. Economics is made fascinating, making this show even more of a stand-out than it already is.
Why I Chose It: Spice and Wolf is just an endearing show all around. The characterization is so phenomenal and realistic despite the little supernatural elements present in the actual show. A focus on making economics interesting of all things is a fresh perspective, especially in the medium of anime. Holo is one of the strongest, most headstrong female leads I've ever had the pleasure of watching -- no wonder she garners a lot of popularity among the crowd. She's older than she looks, so she's got her own past and lacks the Mary Sue innocence of a lot of other female leads. Lawrence is no pushover either; he's also a very strong male lead and compliments Holo perfectly. I can think of very few character chemistrys I enjoy to this level, much less more... And the majority of them aren't romances like theirs is. They're just fun to watch together, and the fresh spin on setting perspective makes this one of the most memorable experiences I've had the pleasure of watching.
Okay, I went through that without making a tasteless furry joke. Phew, I can relax now.
24) Working!! (both seasons)
A show that's just all about fun... ironically, Working is a comedic slice of life about a restaurant and its rather diverse staff. There's a high school guy obsessed with all things young, adorable, and cute, an androphobic and involuntarily violent girl who punches any male that even enters her line of vision, a cute high school girl mistaken for an elementary student, a funny love triangle (if it can even be called that...) involving the lazy food-crazed manager of the restaurant, her junior waitress who carries a samurai sword and waits on her hand and foot, and a stoic guy that has a crush on said waitress, an even younger girl who lives in the restaurant's attic due to running away from home, and a conniving blackmailer who has information on pretty much anybody. A real mouthful, but the silly scenarios and conversations held by these diverse personalities highlights the pretty funny comedy that ensures in their special workplace. Not really much else to say - it's a fun little romp of a comedic slice of life with unique and eccentric characters and their encounters with one another as they work from day to day.
Why I Chose It: In an arena of shows that take their premise way too seriously or in very dark directions, Working is very parallel to The Daily Lives of High School Boys in that it's a very lighthearted and spirited show. The conflicts involved are small and miniscule, yet they lead to the most hilarious of encounters and situations. Also, I love the entire character cast... There is literally not a single character that doesn't manage to put a smile on my face in this show. While stuff like Spice and Wolf excels in one-on-one character relationships, Working goes above and beyond in all-out free-for-all relationships between the scope of its entire cast. If you want something to cheer you up, this show is a great anti-depressant without any side effects. I guarantee that goofy smiles will occur whether you want them to or not.
23) Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex
In an age where cybernetics has taken root and altered society, the government has created a special police unit known as Section 9 to respond to cyber-terrorism and crimes of similar intent. Ghost in the Shell is a fantastic show with science fiction and cyberpunk elements that focuses on the trials of the members of Section 9 as they deal with a top-notch hacker known as "The Laughing Man." Ghost in the Shell has a very intriguing cast of characters with their own quirks and histories, and seeing them aide one another in figuring out the various crimes they endure is quite the entertaining journey. The universe is also fleshed out in a believable manner and happens to tackle the morality of an advanced generation of human and machine and what constitutes a "person." Furthermore, the show has very satisfying and intense action to accompany the journey to solving each crime as the overall narrative continues onward. The show is episodic for the most part (the first season is, anyway) until near the conclusion, where the mass occurrences of crimes all have a connection in one of the most fascinating antagonists in anime history. Overall, Ghost in the Shell is an awesome take on the future of technological innovation and its consequences.
Why I Chose It: I'm a Computer Science major. It's obvious that concepts like the Singularity, the self-aware AI, and technology-oriented innovations fascinate me. Likewise, I also enjoy science fiction and cyberpunk for the same reason I enjoy thinking about how technology will change the scope of humanity in the future. Ghost in the Shell is one of the possible futures we could encounter. The line between machine and human may reach the point of blurred equivalence, and the show handles this subject matter extremely well. The crimes are also fascinating, and The Laughing Man has to be one of my favorite villains ever. The character cast is kickass and does their job well. This show is a good reminder why we must be willing to accept the consequences of innovation and evolving as humans and why morality is such an important thing for us humans in general. Unfortunately, I haven't seen any of the movies OR the second season as of this post, but the first season is awesome. I hope to remedy my situation by watching the second season this summer, but if this is of any sign, anything in the Ghost in the Shell universe is worth watching.
22) Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei (all seasons/OVAs)
Itoshiki Nozomu is a high school teacher who DESPAIRS at the blasphemies of society. So much that he wants to commit suicide every time he's brought to despair! Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei is about this suicidal teacher and his students as they undergo the analysis of various absurdities in society and the world at large. SZS is pretty much the exact opposite of shows like Working!! and The Daily Lives of High School Boys in that it employs a large amount of dark humor and references the crap out of other anime in its dialogues. SZS is definitely not for most gateway anime viewers, but those who have watched many anime shows will come to appreciate the absurdity of its morbid, non-sequitur pacing and comedy. The characters themselves are also interesting and have emotional problems that are just as bad as Itoshiki's suicidal tendencies, but all of them are pretty much played for laughs. It's a fun show especially recommended for those who like that type of dark and referential humor.
Why I Chose It: Honestly, I like most types of humor, and SZS really excels at what it does. Each episode unfolds similarly, focusing on one type of problem that Itoshiki points out and has its cast play out the entire situation in comical fashion. It's also the kind of show you can watch one episode of and be completely satisfied; it's a nice pick up and watch anime, in other words. I dig the characters, but if you're expecting the show to take itself seriously, than you might wanna look elsewhere. Music for the openings is awesome, by the way. Other than that... It's a fun little comedy that's off-kilter, and that's why it stands out for me, personally.
21) Monster
Tenma is a brain surgeon at the height of his profession, engaged to be married and critically acclaimed in his field. All of this changed one night when in the midst of choosing between operating to save the life of either the mayor of his city or a young child, he picks the latter. Afterwards, he is shunned and despised by all, has his engagement broken off, and suffers for believing that all life is equal in his personal convictions. However, a chain of murders occurs around Tenma from that point onward, and it may be that the one he saved is the murderer. From this point, Tenma vows to find the truth about the child's true identity and to stop the murders from happening. Monster is one of the definitive masterpieces of the medium, exploring the psyches of its entire cast and providing a thrill ride of mystery and suspense that is rivaled by none other. The characters have an unbelievable amount of depth and the plot unfolds at a pace that keeps you hooked despite the gigantic length of the show. Naoki Urasawa is behind this masterpiece, probably better known for his work on the manga 20th Century Boys. He proves himself to be a master of the craft of thriller in Monster, and for that I respect him above most others. Also, Monster's art style is as purposefully ugly as its own title, creating true originality and beauty in an aesthetic sense.
Why I Chose It: Monster is the best thriller I've ever watched. The whole show is extremely dark and paints morality in hundreds of different shades. Is the righteous and just choice necessarily the right choice? Monster understands the human condition inside and out, and I have to applaud it for that and more. Personally, I'm not really keen on shows that are over-the-top dark and without hope, but Monster seems to have the right balance of portraying humanity's helplessness and despair while showing that the small amount of light there is should always be chased after. In addition, Monster's main antagonist is quite possibly my favorite villain in anime (though Char Aznable from Mobile Suit Gundam takes the cake too). I can't say enough good things about the show; the only disheartening factor is the length of around 70ish episodes, but it's definitely an experience I'll never forget.
No comments:
Post a Comment