Post by StarrkJow on Feb 25, 2011 2:34:58 GMT -5
If you're an Anime fan, feel free to post your favorites here. Here are my top ten Anime and why:
10. Pani Poni Dash: I haven't finished this series yet, but it's bizarre, lightning fast comedy had me hooked from the start. If you can stand the mainly female cast and extreme, exaggerated, and parodied use of Japanese culture and Anime-isms then you're in for a hilarious treat. The dub is actually very good for this as well. If you can put up with Himeko's voice that is.
9. Real Drive: A futuristic slice of life tale from the creators of Ghost in the Shell. Contrary to GitS, however, this future feels a lot more possible, which is awesome. The technology and world of the island in which Real Drive takes place really sucks you in. As an Anime it's easily the most chill Anime I've ever seen. There's literally no tension until the last two or three episodes. That being said, the story and character development are very fluid and the same can be said about the animation. For such a laid back Anime, the sparse fight scenes in this Anime are very well done. This Anime definitely takes the cake for the Anime world I would most want to inhabit.
8. The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya: I really wish I would've known ahead of time that the broadcast order was different than the actual chronological order. It kinda stinks finding out after the fact that the last episode is really the sixth episode. (No wonder I liked that episode so much) Anyways, Haruhi is a great slice of life comedy with quite a few tricks up it's sleeve, a great cast of characters, and some great monologuing by the main character. This is also a great dub. If you don't like Japanese Highschool slice of life stories, this might not change your mind, but if you have any interest definitely check it out.
7. Bleach: I'll admit that I was born and raised on Shonen Anime's and that I can match Dragon Ball and Naruto trivia with the best of them, but out of all the Shonen Anime I've watched, Bleach really stands out the most in my mind. Well, the first two seasons do anyway. After that the series just became meh. It had some sweet new villains, but those aren't really enough to pull an entire series through. So, despite all the hints pointing towards the future of the show, you can really just single out the first two seasons (thru the end of the Kuchhiki Rescue arc) and you'll have a great time with an interesting Anime that has a sweet core concept.
6. Samurai Champloo: It seems for this one, they really just came up with a cool thematic concept and just let Watanabe loose on the rest of it. This show oozes personality and in many ways, it oozes Watanbe. It almost seems like he had way too much fun with it (Not that that's a bad thing). However, it's brash takes on samurai and hip-hop culture and the fusion of the two aren't merely a gimmick. Underneath it all is a great tale of friendship, duty, and how it's the journey, not the destination, that matters. Through and through, though, you're guaranteed to have a great time watching this show.
5. Full Metal Alchemist Brotherhood: I personally enjoyed the whole made up ending of the first series, but Brotherhood is where its at. I mean, it's probably the closest anime to manga adaption I've seen.
4. Darker Than Black: A few of the show's basic mechanic's may seem overly vague throughout, but despite it, this show is a thrilling, and gripping ride. I like to think of it as a darker, grittier version of the X-Men (In some ways even better). And, if you go in thinking of like so some of the concepts will make more sense earlier on. With a rag-tag group of great characters, an awesome pro/antagonist, and a tight over-arcing story (If you've seen Black Cat, you'll be able to draw some comparisons, but rest assured, this is waaaay better than Black Cat) this is sure to stick with you and has the potential for classic status. I'm currently watching DtB: Ryuusei no Gemini (aka Darker than Black 2) and it's very different. It may take this place in the end, but we'll have to see.
3. Code Geass: You can complain about convenient plotpoints and plot holes all you want, but Code Geass is about the craziest, funnest, most intense, and most emotional 50 episode series I've ever seen. And if the plot twists, giant robots, and loveable characters don't sell you on it, the last episode most definitely will. Oh last episode, you are indeed my favorite single anime episode of all time.
2. Jungle Wa Itsumo Hale Nochi Guu (aka Hale + Guu): This is simply one of, if not the funniest and most insane Animes I've ever seen. Much like Pani Poni Dash, you really just have to go with the punches on this one. This, however, is much more bearable (in terms of cast and pace) than PPD. Guu is easily one of my all time favorite character's. She is a psychotic, sadistic little ***** who orchestrates all of the craziness that goes on and who's whims shape the entirety of the show. Awesomeness. (I really wish this one had a dub...)
1. Cowboy Bebop: Simply put, this is an instant classic. If you haven't seen this one, then you are in for quite the treat. A tale of family ties and tragedy woven together in a way that would make many a Hollywood director cry. It's a tight story produced by the great Watanabe and it has by far the best Anime soundtrack ever (I would kill to see Yoko Kanno and The Seatbelts live). This combination of a tight plot, great characters, and fantastic music is nigh unmatched. It's gonna take a lot to knock this off the top of my list. Oh, and food for thought, when it comes to Bebop, it's not the music that fits the show, it's the show that fits the music...
10. Pani Poni Dash: I haven't finished this series yet, but it's bizarre, lightning fast comedy had me hooked from the start. If you can stand the mainly female cast and extreme, exaggerated, and parodied use of Japanese culture and Anime-isms then you're in for a hilarious treat. The dub is actually very good for this as well. If you can put up with Himeko's voice that is.
9. Real Drive: A futuristic slice of life tale from the creators of Ghost in the Shell. Contrary to GitS, however, this future feels a lot more possible, which is awesome. The technology and world of the island in which Real Drive takes place really sucks you in. As an Anime it's easily the most chill Anime I've ever seen. There's literally no tension until the last two or three episodes. That being said, the story and character development are very fluid and the same can be said about the animation. For such a laid back Anime, the sparse fight scenes in this Anime are very well done. This Anime definitely takes the cake for the Anime world I would most want to inhabit.
8. The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya: I really wish I would've known ahead of time that the broadcast order was different than the actual chronological order. It kinda stinks finding out after the fact that the last episode is really the sixth episode. (No wonder I liked that episode so much) Anyways, Haruhi is a great slice of life comedy with quite a few tricks up it's sleeve, a great cast of characters, and some great monologuing by the main character. This is also a great dub. If you don't like Japanese Highschool slice of life stories, this might not change your mind, but if you have any interest definitely check it out.
7. Bleach: I'll admit that I was born and raised on Shonen Anime's and that I can match Dragon Ball and Naruto trivia with the best of them, but out of all the Shonen Anime I've watched, Bleach really stands out the most in my mind. Well, the first two seasons do anyway. After that the series just became meh. It had some sweet new villains, but those aren't really enough to pull an entire series through. So, despite all the hints pointing towards the future of the show, you can really just single out the first two seasons (thru the end of the Kuchhiki Rescue arc) and you'll have a great time with an interesting Anime that has a sweet core concept.
6. Samurai Champloo: It seems for this one, they really just came up with a cool thematic concept and just let Watanabe loose on the rest of it. This show oozes personality and in many ways, it oozes Watanbe. It almost seems like he had way too much fun with it (Not that that's a bad thing). However, it's brash takes on samurai and hip-hop culture and the fusion of the two aren't merely a gimmick. Underneath it all is a great tale of friendship, duty, and how it's the journey, not the destination, that matters. Through and through, though, you're guaranteed to have a great time watching this show.
5. Full Metal Alchemist Brotherhood: I personally enjoyed the whole made up ending of the first series, but Brotherhood is where its at. I mean, it's probably the closest anime to manga adaption I've seen.
4. Darker Than Black: A few of the show's basic mechanic's may seem overly vague throughout, but despite it, this show is a thrilling, and gripping ride. I like to think of it as a darker, grittier version of the X-Men (In some ways even better). And, if you go in thinking of like so some of the concepts will make more sense earlier on. With a rag-tag group of great characters, an awesome pro/antagonist, and a tight over-arcing story (If you've seen Black Cat, you'll be able to draw some comparisons, but rest assured, this is waaaay better than Black Cat) this is sure to stick with you and has the potential for classic status. I'm currently watching DtB: Ryuusei no Gemini (aka Darker than Black 2) and it's very different. It may take this place in the end, but we'll have to see.
3. Code Geass: You can complain about convenient plotpoints and plot holes all you want, but Code Geass is about the craziest, funnest, most intense, and most emotional 50 episode series I've ever seen. And if the plot twists, giant robots, and loveable characters don't sell you on it, the last episode most definitely will. Oh last episode, you are indeed my favorite single anime episode of all time.
2. Jungle Wa Itsumo Hale Nochi Guu (aka Hale + Guu): This is simply one of, if not the funniest and most insane Animes I've ever seen. Much like Pani Poni Dash, you really just have to go with the punches on this one. This, however, is much more bearable (in terms of cast and pace) than PPD. Guu is easily one of my all time favorite character's. She is a psychotic, sadistic little ***** who orchestrates all of the craziness that goes on and who's whims shape the entirety of the show. Awesomeness. (I really wish this one had a dub...)
1. Cowboy Bebop: Simply put, this is an instant classic. If you haven't seen this one, then you are in for quite the treat. A tale of family ties and tragedy woven together in a way that would make many a Hollywood director cry. It's a tight story produced by the great Watanabe and it has by far the best Anime soundtrack ever (I would kill to see Yoko Kanno and The Seatbelts live). This combination of a tight plot, great characters, and fantastic music is nigh unmatched. It's gonna take a lot to knock this off the top of my list. Oh, and food for thought, when it comes to Bebop, it's not the music that fits the show, it's the show that fits the music...