10) Honey and Clover (both seasons)
Honey and Clover surpasses the anime medium. Honey and Clover is life. An adaptation brought to life thanks to the brilliant writing of Chika Umino, the notorious juggernaut of a josei encompasses two seasons of sheer realism. The characters all reside in college life (an art college at that), something atypical for the medium - especially at the time the show aired. The story shifts between the various perspectives of the three guys and two girls as they learn their way through life and romance. H&C is extremely amazing at profound messages delivered through the introspection of its characters. The entire cast has differing personalities and themes that are evoked from said personalities, but the true strength of the show is its astounding ability to juggle all of these themes into a continuity that accurately depicts the trials of life and the conflicts that humanity shares in common. Even the pacing is that of the rolling, unrelenting flow of life, never ceasing or waiting on its players. Oh, and did I mention the animation is especially vibrant? Not to mention the music is heavily piano-based and tugs at your heartstrings in response to the problems each characters tackles. Conflicts cannot be resolved in one episode for H&C. They will always stare back at the character, engulfing them for life and the entirety of the series. The characters simply cannot escape from who they are and what challenges them.
Why I Chose It: Brilliant characters. Astounding romance. The true meaning of the "slice of life" genre. Touching music. Heartwarming animation. It touched my heart when I watched this, and I wasn't even in college yet. Now that I'm at the age of wandering, wondering what to do with my life and how to improve myself as a person, I can only look back at this experience with warm regard for what it taught me and what it prepared me for. I understand how to approach life now because of this show. I know that no matter how bad it gets, I have to keep pedaling on my worn-out, tattered shell of a bicycle. I know my direction in life, but how to get there is the toughest lesson of all. I want to meet the people that can change me as much as this show did. After watching this, who can simply give up? As a college student, there is no other show that can compare to how much I've wracked my brain around understanding the world and myself like H&C.
9) The Tatami Galaxy
The essential Groundhog Day of the anime medium, The Tatami Galaxy is about a young college student who decides to live out his youthful days in search of the perfect rose-colored life. However, he becomes trapped in an endless loop of time for each different choice or path he makes, sending him back to the beginning when he fails to learn or realize anything about himself. The Tatami Galaxy is a great analysis on weighing the consequences and decisions of one's life with one another. The characters and setup of each episode are all the same but occur in different circumstances, giving the viewer multiple perspectives from which to judge to main character in his journey to discover the perfect days of youth. The animation is unique and abstract, as if the characters themselves are paper cutouts. The series is framed in a predominantly episodic approach where one "loop" of time is played out for each episode, only eventually culminating into the finale at the end. By the way, the OP was done by Asian Kung-Fu Generation. AKFG, MAYUNS. Otherwise, The Tatami Galaxy provides stellar characterization and a style unlike any other; the snark-witted exploits of the protagonist and his fellow acquaintances are refreshing regardless of how many times you've seen his miserable college life play out.
Why I Chose It: I'm a real sucker for endless or infinite time loop stories. Okay, so Endless Eight isn't the best example, but I love the concept of repeating time until one comes to a realization of either their own self or the world around them as a result. I actually had the pleasure of watching this one while it aired, and boy was the wait each week cruel. I enjoy the pathetic and sardonic nature of the protagonist as he tries to change external circumstances, only to have to reset each time without knowing that the true root of the problem lies within his own internal heart. The character cast as a whole is very memorable for their own various wicked natures and their interactions with one another as the main character observes his life unfold multiple times. Oh, and despite how serious I make the show out to be, it also strikes comedy gold with the ridiculous scenarios and paths that Protagman takes. By the way, I only use that label because since he's the narrator, he never explicitly states his name. Go figure.
8) Serial Experiments Lain
Lain Iwakura is just a normal middle school girl. However, this simple fact changes when one of her fellow schoolmates suddenly commits suicide. Soon after, a string of bizarre incidents occurs all around her, eventually leading her to acquire her own computer and enter the world of the Wired. The Wired is the sentient manifestation of the current Internet, breaking down the barriers between illusion and reality. Among the merits of Serial Experiments Lain, atmosphere outranks any other show by far. The utter confusion and surrealism of the experiences Lain endures in the show is demonstrated in a nonchalant wave of sheer insanity. Even after the show, the viewer still does not understand the mystery of the Wired and the strange occurrences around Lain; as such, multiple viewings may be needed to truly understand the queries that the show provides. Excellent music and pretty incredible 90s animation mesh well to accentuate the subdued environment. In addition, the concept of human identity and the advent of the Internet is questioned heavily in Lain. What constitutes a human? Is the alternate reality better or worse than the actual reality? Regardless, Lain is not just a show. It's a tangled web of an experience.
Why I Chose It: As stated previously, computer science is my major. Spending most of my free time on the Internet, I had developed a strong interest in what provides communication between two people who are thousands of miles away. The question remains: If the Internet ever develops to the point of another distinct reality, will it stand as its own identity against the actual, "obsolete" reality? I still have many questions about the show to this day; I ponder a lot about the future of humanity and how technology will alter our course. Lain merely provides one of several possible futures, but it does so with an amazing atmosphere of quiet ambiance. I can't help but think of the positive and negative consequences technology hands us once we begin to evolve past humanity in its current form, much like Lain does throughout the entire show.
7) Mobile Suit Gundam 0080: War in the Pocket & Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn
I might as well call this my top 32 favorite anime, huh? I just couldn't choose between the two of these shows, especially since one of them only has 5 of its 7 episodes completed at the time of this post. However, both shows bring out the brilliance of what Mobile Suit Gundam has to offer in vastly differing approaches, yet they accomplish the same goal. This is why both shows deserve the same spot. With that said...
War in the Pocket is a unique offering to the Gundam franchise in that barely any mobile suit action takes place throughout the course of its six episodes, leaving it up to the characters to fill in the gap left by the lack of action. The story is told through the eyes of a 10-year old named Al. He's merely just a part of normal society. Unfortunately for him, the One Year War between the Earth Federation and the Principality of Zeon is going on in the midst of his normal life (see: the original Mobile Suit Gundam for more details on the OYW itself). A Zeon special forces unit is dispatched to Al's colony in order to unearth information about a supposed new Gundam unit being created by the Feddies. Among these forces is a young officer by the name of Bernie, whom Al quickly befriends. Al also encounters his former babysitter and neighbor, Christina, who happens to be the test pilot of the new Gundam unit. See where this is leading yet? 0080 executes a touching divide from the perspective of the normal commoner between the identities of "commoners" in opposite camps of one another. Childhood innocence can no longer be maintained as Al realizes the unnatural effects of war and how it destroys his normal life completely. All of this leads to a climax that I wish not to spoil, but it truly depicts the harsh reality of the battlefield.
Gundam Unicorn is the long-awaited adaptation of the light novels meant to conclude the cursed time period known as the Universal Century, the main timeline for the Gundam franchise. As such, Unicorn is best watched under the premise of knowing the previous tragedies and wars in its preceding shows (MSG 0079, 0080, 0083, IGLOO, Zeta, ZZ, Char's Counterattack, etc.). The year is U.C. 0096 with the show beginning at a developing colony known as Industrial 7. Banagher Links, a young college student who went through life without knowing of his father, encounters a mysterious girl by the name of Audrey Burne who has stowed away on the colony. By meeting her, he's propelled into a conflict involving a secret known as Laplace's Box, an item said to be able to change the course of history. Unicorn provides absolutely amazing action and conflict between mobile suits with fluid animation, harking back to the old days of the Universal Century. The show also successfully captures the course of history and its impact on the fallen Principality of Zeon, who now only exists as a faction known as Neo Zeon. More than anything, Unicorn manages to combine all of the promising elements of the Gundam series, successfully fusing the action of the UC shows with the desire for peace in the newer AU shows without compromising characterization. Overall, Unicorn has been a thrilling conclusion to the UC saga. I can only hope that it will continue its amazing trek for the final two episodes.
Why I Choose These Shows: I first fell in love with the Gundam franchise after watching the original Mobile Suit Gundam. I felt compelled by the great action provided from over 30 years ago of all things and the themes of war it tackled in the process. Before that, I had previous viewings with the SEED and 00 shows, but they never managed to capture me as much as the UC shows. Watching Gundam reminds me of my childhood - I watched a lot of American shows like Transformers and Power Rangers. I've always enjoyed that type of action, and Gundam manages to satisfy that need for me. I also enjoy its themes and lessons about war despite the fact that I hate the way newer Gundams "evangelize" from the cockpit. Gundam has been creating the same story over and over again for the past few decades, but one day I hope that they will nail it perfectly. And as far as I'm concerned, 0080 and Unicorn are by far the closest to hit that point.
6) Cowboy Bebop
Many others have covered why Cowboy Bebop is one of the most essential shows in the anime medium to watch. Bounty hunters in space that only roll through each day of their lives to obtain the money they want to survive, Spike Spiegel and Jet Black start off alone. Then a dog named Ein, a striking and loudmouthed dame by the name of Faye Valentine, and a young computer genius called Ed join the ranks of their bounty hunting gang one by one to form one of the most memorable crews in all of anime history. Bebop is focused primarily on style, beating out any other show in this category with its upbeat jazz score by Yoko Kanno and the sheer brilliance of its direction under director Shinichiro Watanabe. I cannot add much to what has already been said about Bebop, but I will highlight that it's a great gateway into anime that has withstood the test of time as one of the greatest stories ever made.
Why I Chose It: Great mix of action, characterization, themes, and style. It's an experience and feeling I'll never get from anything else. I remember renting the movie a few years back after watching the show, deciding to skip school in favor of laying low for a day of relaxation. I think I learned a lot more from those few hours than I ever had in the entirety of high school. Sure, I got in trouble with my mom for staying home... But can you blame a guy? This show taught me to appreciate the directionless course of life for what it is.
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