'Sound! Euphonium' Is a Charming Concert Band Drama

Sound! Euphonium (also known as Hibike! Euphonium) is a 13-episode anime series that details the drama and development behind Kitauji High School’s concert band.  There are plenty of characters, but the story focuses on freshman Kumiko Oumae.  She has been playing the euphonium for seven years; however, she’s not necessarily masterful of playing the instrument nor dedicated to it.  But through the progress of the story, she gains new realizations and perspective on what it really means to belong and compete in a concert band.

At the start of the story, the Kitauji concert band is in subpar condition and has a lot of issues, much the dismay of Kumiko and the other freshmen members.  Some senior members – particularly the officers – have their hearts in the right places.  However, the culture of the club is that of laziness, apathy, and lack of focus.  Fortunately for the club, the new music teacher and club adviser, Noboru Taki, knows what buttons to push in order to motivate the members into improving themselves.  Through his strict but courteous and patient guidance, he pushes the Kitauji concert band into aiming for the Nationals competition.

Sound! Euphonium doesn’t necessarily have a lot of originality to offer.  But despite its familiar themes and tropes, it’s still pretty amiable.  The story gives a believable and engaging depiction of the emotions and conflicts happening among members of a high school concert band as they struggle towards the top.  Moreover, its fine animation helps keeping the storytelling appealing.

Having only 13 episodes makes Sound! Euphonium easy to binge-watch.  But, on the other hand, the small amount of total episodes also means that development for both its plot and its many characters is limited.  In fact, the prime fault I find in this anime is that, in my opinion, there wasn’t enough time to properly flesh out its many characters – hence, I never grew caring for any of its characters.

Another slight fault I find is that the musical pieces featured are not that interesting.  With the exception of Orpheus in the Underworld’s can-can sequence (which reminded me of how awesome that piece is) in the first episode, I wasn’t particularly drawn to any of the music (unlike with Kids on the Slope which made me immersed on its jazz music).  Still, the musical details and choices are good.  And I love how the music is beautifully synchronized with well-done animation.

As for the romance – since that’s to be expected from a high school story – well, it’s actually minimal.  Some stuff on high school “puppy love” and rejection have been touched upon, but it was pretty nigh irrelevant.  It’s also worth noting that there’s some seemingly Yuri tension (or I’m just being too malicious) between Kumiko and fellow freshman, Reina Kousaka.

Sound! Euphonium is not for everyone, but those who enjoy lovely anime visuals, music, ensembles, and slice-of-life high school drama are sure to like this.  Personally, this anime series isn’t something I’m particularly excited about, but it’s charming enough to warrant a recommendation from me (whatever that’s worth).

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'Kids on the Slope' Is a Beautiful Piece on Jazz, Life, and Friendship

Set in the 1960’s, Kids on the Slope is a coming-of-age drama about high school friends that found joy and refuge in jazz while dealing with the struggles of youth.  The story primarily focuses on the bromance of Kaoru “Richie” Nashimi – a rich, academically achieving introvert – and Sentarō “Sen” Kawabuchi – who is basically the antithesis of Kaoru.  Despite being polar opposites, the two get to have a strong bond because of sharing a common love – jazz.

Kaoru is an adept classical pianist, but is initially not into jazz.    But, one day, he becomes intrigued with jazz music after listening to Sentarō’s drumming.  Kaoru buys a jazz record, starts to practice, and, from then on, he begins to love jazz and to regularly jam with Sentarō after class – he on the piano, and Sentarō on drums.  And as the story progresses, Kaoru and Sentarō develop fantastic rapport with each other.  Personally, I never thought before that a piano and a drum set are already enough to create such beautiful, full sound.   Listening to those two do just that blew me away.

Creating a “triangle” with Kaoru and Sentarō is Ritsuko Mukae.  Kaoru has feelings for Ritsuko, but Ritsuko has feelings for Sentarō.  However, despite this state of affairs, the three remain good friends (though, conflicts arise sometimes).

Ritsuko’s father, Tsutomu Mukae, owns a music shop, and its basement is where Kaoru and Sentarō would jam.  Occasionally, Tsutomu jams with them, as well as Junichi “Brother Jun” Katsuragi, a college friend whom Sentarō greatly looks up to; Tsutomu plays bass, and Brother Jun – a very talented musician – plays trumpet.

Eargasmic jazz music is a constant in Kids on the Slope.  The musicians that record the music behind the scenes really deserve to be praised.  And kudos as well to the people that drew and animated the scenes where the characters play their respective instruments with the appearance of thoroughness and authenticity.  As a result, I was really immersed into the music because there is no clumsy animation to distract me – the detail of the animation flawlessly matches the music being produced.

However, Kids on the Slope is not all about having fantastic taste in music.  It also has a heartfelt and thoughtful story to tell, with deep themes on friendship, making life decisions, young love, the sweetness and bitterness of life, and pursuing your dreams; and it features a profound metaphorical moral or two.  There is some complicated soap opera romance in it, which I find a little bit cheesy and heavy, but it’s appropriate to the narrative and intended message.

This anime series is created by the same people behind Cowboy Bebopso it’s no wonder that it’s something masterfully made.  Even if one doesn’t appreciate jazz music and/or teen drama, I believe he or she will still find this anime engaging.  It’s really worth checking out, and with only 12 episodes, it’s pretty easy to marathon.

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'Parasyte' Could Be the Best Anime Series of 2015

If the year ended today, Parasyte –the maxim– (yep, that’s how the complete title goes) would be my choice for “Best Anime Series of the Year” (its original run was from October 2014 to March 2015) in the 4th Bernels.  Of course, there’s still half of the year to go, and it is still possible for another 2015 anime series to impress me more, but Parasyte is so good that it would take something really mindblowing to knock it off its pedestal.

The premise is about strange worm-like parasites (its origin, whether alien or a form of bio-weapon, was not particularly determined) that mysteriously pop out around the world one night and begin to take over human hosts by getting into their brains.  The plot focuses on a geeky, awkward high school student named Shinichi Izumi.  A parasite fails in its attempt to get into Shinichi’s brain, and instead has to settle on burrowing inside his right arm.  The parasite takes over Shinichi’s right arm, adopts the name of “Migi” (Japanese for “right”), and develops a default symbiotic relationship with Shinichi.  Moreover, not only does a conscious Migi gains absolute control of the right arm, but it can also morph into any form – functioning body parts, blades, etc. – it wants.  To survive, Shinichi has no choice but to put up with Migi.  Over the story’s course, the two learn to rely on each other and gradually develop a strong bond.  Meanwhile, those parasites that succeed in taking over the brains of their targets lurk around to devour humans for food.  The media dub these occurrences as “Mincemeat Murders” while the authorities do their best to hide the real story behind these murders to prevent mass panic.  Shinichi feels obligated to do something about it, and by enlisting Migi’s cooperation, he takes it upon himself to fight off the parasite-infected humans while keeping his own condition a secret from the people around him.

Nowadays, I have a hard time connecting to most modern anime series, but Parasyte has the tone and quality of those old anime series I used to watch in the past that it effortlessly appealed to my liking.  The Parasyte manga actually ran from 1988 to 1995, but this is just the first time that it has been adapted into an anime series, so maybe that’s the reason why it seemingly has that “90’s-style anime” charm.  I found this anime series to be very entertaining and engrossing that I was able to marathon all of its 24 episodes in one day.

Parasyte isn’t perfect.  It does have worn-out anime tropes, some noticeably dumb and annoying character moments, and an unimpressive soundtrack.  But, aside from those few faults, this anime is terrific and well-crafted.  The storytelling is splendidly compelling; its thoughtful themes about humanity, natural order, inherent instincts, and the essence of monsters are well-articulated; the characters are well-written and well-developed; and the animation is beautiful, thorough, and flawlessly gives justice to the thrill, violence, emotion, and stakes of its narrative and action sequences.  It has the makings of a classic, and a worthy watch for every anime fan with good taste.

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Ghibli Takes Its Leave by Leaving Us 'When Marnie Was There'

We all love Studio Ghibli.  We can always expect its movies to be of fantastic, delightful quality.  Whether it’s science fiction/fantasy or purely down-to-earth drama, a trademark Ghibli production is sure to have a heartfelt, amiable story with rich, thoughtful themes conveyed in beautiful, meticulous hand-drawn animation.  And When Marnie Was There is typical Ghibli.  It’s not as marvelous as its predecessors from last year – not as deep as The Wind Rises or as visually refreshing as The Tale of the Princess Kaguya – but it was still nonetheless a special, well-crafted film. 

The movie is based on a 1967 novel by Joan G. Robinson.  It tells the story of a young girl named Anna Sasaki who suffers from asthma and, presumably, melancholia as well.  She is sent by her foster mother to spend time with some relatives in the countryside of Kushiro so that the clean, seaside air and environment can improve her health and disposition.  One day, Anna finds herself charmed and drawn to the Marsh House – an old, deserted mansion that is accessible by foot during low tide.  In her first visit to the place, she sees the Marsh House in its dilapidated condition, but, the next time, it mysteriously takes a revitalized appearance and she meets the blonde girl that resides in it, Marnie.  Anna and Marnie become fast friends, and they secretly meet several times afterwards – having picnics and boat rides, intimate conversations, hand-in-hand walks by the coastline, and even a party in the Marsh House.  However, only Anna can see Marnie.  And whenever Marnie isn’t around, Anna sees the Marsh House just as everyone else sees it – abandoned and rundown. 

So who really is Marnie?  Is she a ghost?  Is she merely a figment of Anna’s unstable psyche?  What’s up with the Marsh House?  Is there a crack in the space-time continuum that allows the past and the present to interact?   Those are the underlying questions that the movie was raising all throughout.

The movie is pretty innocent and warm.  However, the mystery of Marnie really provided a subtly dark and eerie flavor to the story.  I was crazily half-expecting a “jump scare” or Twilight Zone-like twist happening sometime during its narrative.  It provided a tinge of excitement to an otherwise pleasant tone.     

The answer to the mystery (SPOILERS!) wasn’t really supernatural in nature.  Once enough clues have been revealed, it was easy to deduce who Marnie really is and why Anna knows her before the actual revelation is presented.  It requires a bit of soap opera-level of implausible coincidence to work, but it was still a satisfyingly appropriate plot twist.

When Marnie Was There is a lovely, well-made animated movie about friendship, healing, and finding a positive outlook in life.  By itself, this movie has enough reasons to be a must-watch.  But this movie also possesses some additional sentimental value if you are a Studio Ghibli fan.  The studio announced last year that it would take a temporary (hopefully) break from making movies.  Hence, this would be the last Ghibli film for a while, so it’s really worth seeing. 

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‘The Last’ is a Necessary ‘Naruto’ Shōjo Story

The Last could be the most well-made Naruto movie ever.  Though, to be fair, this is only the third Narutomovie I’ve seen – but it’s certainly the best among those three.  There aren’t any epic action scenes, and its story treads on many familiar tropes, but it was compelling enough at the right parts to make it an enjoyable watch.  Moreover, being set during the time lapse between the events of Chapter 699 (the end of the Infinite Tsukoyomi; aftermath of the Fourth Shinobi World War) and Chapter 700 (Naruto as the 7^th Hokage), The Last is officially part of the Narutocanon – thus, this elevates its importance above the other movies and making it more interesting.        

  

Personally, I’m just happy to see a story set during the time lapse.  And this is the thing about the movie I liked the most.  The time between Chapter 699 and 700 was a period I wish the manga chose to explore instead of immediately jumping towards Naruto being Hokage.  For me, it would have been the best opportunity to start afresh with the interesting characters and world of Naruto after its exposition-heavy, convoluted last arc ruined everything.

Plot synopsis: the antagonist Toneri seeks to destroy the world by sending the moon crashing towards it.  And, as to be expected, it is up to Naruto and his friends to stop him.  But this is just padding to what The Last is really about – the story of how Naruto and Hinata became a couple.  Which is fine since that is one of the intriguing questions that Chapter 700 has raised.  And the two do make a cute, engaging Shōjo story. 

Miscellaneous musings:

• Apparently, ninja can breathe on the moon.   
• 19-year old Naruto’s look is his coolest yet. 
• It is understood that Hinata is a meek, gentle character.  But she is much too fragile in this movie – something I didn’t like – as if she’s not a toughened, veteran shinobi of the Fourth Shinobi World War. 
• Nice to be reminded that Shikamaru is the smartest character in Naruto.  
• Seriously, I want to have more tales set in the period between Chapters 699 and 700.  And the anime series has the window of making this happen before it proceeds towards the “New Era” (Naruto as Hokage, and his son, Boruto, as main protagonist).  I remember how the Naruto anime series provided ample time for the manga to considerably pull ahead by doing 77 filler episodes before proceeding to Shippuden.  I suggest that the same thing be done this time around (but in a much, much better fashion than what transpired in that 77 episode-run, since that stretch has most of Naruto’s most mediocre, pointless, and awful episodes).  So, after covering the events of Chapter 699, the anime should do a lengthy run of filler episodes set during the period before Naruto become Hokage.  And let there be sensible character and plot developments that would appropriately set up the status quo of Chapter 700.  At least show me if Kakashi was any good as Hokage and how Naruto was chosen as his successor and how all those characters developed into couples. 

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Why 'Digimon' is Objectively Better than 'Pokemon'

I’ve grown up enjoying both Pokemon and Digimon.  But though Pokemon is the bigger and more popular franchise, I’ve always held the belief that – at least with regards to anime series – Digimon is better than Pokemon (but with regards to games and other products, I have no say on the matter since I’ve only got the chance to play Pokemon video games and card games and never with any Digimongames, though I’m familiar with the gameplay of Digimon World 2).

As far as premise is concerned, there is more substance in Digimon’s than Pokemon’s.  Both shows involve humans directing “monsters” to battle.  However, in Pokemon, the whole battling is primarily intended for human amusement.  It’s basically a reinvented form of cockfighting.  On the other hand, in Digimon, the battling has a nobler purpose – usually, to protect the world or humanity from evil threats.  Moreover, a Digimon acts more of a partner to the human in battle rather than just being a pawn as with the relationship of a Pokemon and its owner/trainer.  

Pokemon tells the story of a boy named Ash Ketchum who left home to travel the world to find and collect as much Pokemon as he can, then oblige them to battle with other people’s Pokemon, so that he can be the greatest Pokemon master ever.  The charm of Pokemon is hinged on the appeal of collecting, and as a collector of stuff myself (comics, books, toys, etc.), I understand the thrill of collecting things.  But, seriously, even if all these Pokemon don’t mind or even fancy being collected and used by humans for sport, there’s something selfish and petty about Ash’s motivation as well as the concept of Pokemon collecting and battling.   

Actually, I disdain Ash Ketchum.  Though he has some likable qualities, like genuinely loving his Pokemon and sincerity in offering friendship to everyone (even his antagonists), he is, nevertheless, an incompetent, dumb, bland, and annoying character.  It’s so frustrating how he is easily gullible and lacks some form of tactical talent as a Pokemon trainer (especially when you get to play his doppelganger, Red, in the games.  Red is a more interesting character and makes much smarter decision than Ash – primarily because Red is your virtual avatar.  Also, the characters in the manga – including Red, who happens to also star on a Pokemon manga series – have more personality and more interesting Pokemon lineups).  And there hasn’t been much character development with Ash either.  He’s basically what he is now as he was about eighteen year ago.            

And that’s another thing.  Ash – unappealing of a character that he is – has been the central character of Pokemonall this time.  That’s 18 seasons being stuck with this character.  And his characterization and purpose is basically intact all this time: travel the world, collect Pokemon, have mediocre adventures, battle with other trainers, so that he “can be the very best.”  Yada, yada. 

In Digimon, there are diverse protagonists, so you have the option of choosing which character you want to root for or relate to.  In the first series of Digimon, there were seven (which became eight later on) main protagonists.  And that’s just the first series, there have been more series after that, hence, more characters.  Moreover, actual character developments are happening with these characters.  They are not stagnant, but dynamic.  These characters grow up.  These characters change.  New characters are introduced.  It’s just like the character pool of Power Rangers. 

As what was already mentioned in the previous paragraph, Digimon also has the advantage of having different series like the Gundam franchise.  With each Digimon incarnation, there is a different set of characters and premises and rules.  Again, just like Gundam.  It keeps everything fresh and exciting.       

 

In terms of strorytelling, Pokemon is dumber, goofier, and more light-hearted, which is actually not a problem, but it makes the extent of its storytelling limited.  It doesn’t help either that the writing on Pokemon is just plain bad a significant amount of time.   On the other hand, Digimon’s storytelling is smarter and purposeful.  Yes, there is some amount of campiness on Digimon, of course, but that’s just for the sake of creating humor (it’s still a kid’s show after all).  Nonetheless, because of its more substantial premise, Digimonis able to have much more depth and stakes (i.e. death and tragedy happens) in its storytelling. 

And because there is more maturity in its storytelling, Digimon’s villains are often more interesting.  Digimon’s villains are more ambitious and ruthless.  Most Digimon villains are consistently in “global menace” level.  In Pokemon, though Ash encounters some serious threats once in a while (especially in the movies), the campy Team Rocket serves as the regular antagonists.  Now, I like their trademark chant and member Meowth (since I have an affinity to cats), but Team Rocket is just a pesky group of antagonists that we just can’t take seriously. 

Speaking of Meowth, he is one of the rare Pokemon that can communicate by human language.  Almost all other Pokemon merely utter their names (or syllables from their names).  But all Digimon can talk!  The ability to talk does not only give Digimon more personality and appearance of intelligence and independence, but also establishes better relationship between the Digimon and his human (again, they are partners).

The nature of evolution is also more interesting with Digimon than Pokemon.  A Pokemon evolves in a ladderized manner, and once it gets to the next level, it permanently stays at that form.   On the other hand, a Digimon’s evolution to a higher form isn’t permanent.  It can always go back to its status quo. Moreover, aside from evolving into a higher form, there are other varieties of Digimon evolution.  For example, Digimon can combine (temporarily, of course) with another Digimon to form a new Digimon form.  Also, humans can even (temporarily) combine with or transform into Digimon.  Evolution is definitely more exciting and complex in Digimon.   

Simply put, Digimon has the superiority in plot, premise, characters, and even in some other small details – like, Digivices and tags and crests are aesthetically cooler, more personalized, and has much more utility than Pokedexes and gym badges.  So those who say that Digimon is just an inferior imitation of Pokemon don’t really know what they are saying – either they haven’t watched enough episodes of both shows or they simply lack good taste.  Pokemon might have come first, but Digimon is objectively better. 

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'Haikyuu!' Made Volleyball Awesome to Me

I was not expecting much from Haikyuu! at first.  My sister recommended it to me when I asked her if she knew of any good anime series I would likely be interested in.  She described it as “like Kuroko No Basuke” but instead of basketball, the featured sport is volleyball. With nothing else to do – and since I enjoyed Kuroko No Basuke a lot when I encountered it last year (but I was greatly disappointed of the manga’s anticlimactic and underwhelming conclusion this year) – I proceeded to watch it… and found out that it’s better than Kuroko No Basuke in so many levels.

I’m wary to make a definite “best sports anime I’ve ever encountered” proclamation since following seasons may not be as fantastic as its 25-episode first season.  But if the same quality is sustained all throughout its run, then it’s a no-brainer for Haikyuu! to get such title since I find no other sports anime that has been nigh-perfect in totally nailing what the genre should be. 

If anything else, Haikyuu! has made volleyball fascinating to me for the first time.    

PACKED WITH EXCITING ACTION, ENGAGING DRAMA, AND HUMOR

Like all sports anime, Haikyuu! was able to enhance the energy and excitement of the actual experience of watching the sport in real life.  But it was able to do this without having over-the-top player abilities (like in Kuroko No Basuke, Prince of Tennis, and Eyeshield 21).    I’m not saying that everything is realistic, but it was down-to-earth compared to most sports anime.  Still, even without having the benefit of ridiculous action sequences, it was still as fun and thrilling as those sports anime that went that approach.

The drama is just as important as the action in making the story engrossing.  Not only did Haikyuu! feature exciting volleyball action but it was also able to convey deep emotion.  It accomplished making the audience feel the sweet victories, bitter defeats, and exhilaration of the contest with much empathy. 

Moreover, it has several times made me genuinely laugh.  Haikyuu! is probably the funniest sports anime next to Eyeshield 21.   Since Eyeshield 21 is wacky and hilarious, that’s saying something.  Humor is always a big plus.   

INTERESTING CHARACTERS

The primary thing I like about this anime is how good it was able to handle its characters.  For me – more often than not – if the characters are made worth caring about, the audience will be deeply drawn to the story that the characters are in.  Haikyuu! was able to make me care about every single member of the team, which made me emotionally invested in the team itself.  If I had encountered Haikyuu! before I’ve written my top 10 fictional sports team list, Karasuno High School’s volleyball team would end up in number 3.          

Every member was given the chance to have his respective talents, passions, and struggles explored by the narrative.  Thus, every member of Karasuno has been given enough personality for me to appreciate what he brings to the team and the story.  Of course, most of the development and exposure are on the main characters, which are rightfully so, but the supporting cast has never been made irrelevant.  

Not everything about the characterizations are unique or original.  I can find several similar character elements from other sports anime – e.g. the central characters being some form of phenomenal rookies, adopting the mold of the usual anime character archetypes, club members in hiatus re-joining the team, characters figuring out the “there’s no ‘I’ in team” principle, etc. – but they were so well-executed and satisfyingly justified in the overall narrative and characterizations that I’ve no complains.   

I LEARNED A LOT ABOUT VOLLEYBALL

I’ve never been a big and knowledgeable sports fan, so sports anime are often very informative to me.  But more so with Haikyuu! and volleyball.  I’ve never been educated by an anime on a sport by such extent ever since Slam Dunk taught me a lot about basketball. 

Example, I got to have a deeper understanding on the rules.  Like the way you can return the ball to the opposing side can be made dependent by how you received it.  You can’t just set and spike by whim. 

Moreover, I finally learned that the positions in volleyball actually have particular roles just as much as the positions in basketball, American football, and soccer.  This was never made clear to me when I got to play volleyball in school and summer camp when I was still a teen.  I thought that since the players are rotating anyway, each player has basically the same roles. 

The most mindblowing thing I learned is the role of a libero and why he or she has a different uniform from his or her teammates.  Prior this, when I saw professional or collegiate volleyball games in TV, I thought that a player has a different uniform because he or she was the captain.            

BEST ANIME SERIES OF 2014

Okay, this is probably unfounded in my part, since I’ve never watch much anime these days (even with the current major titles – Naruto, Bleach, Fairy Tail, and One Piece– which I mostly follow by manga and only watch their respective anime occasionally).  Nonetheless, it’s the best anime series of 2014 that I’ve got to watch (Attack on Titan is really the best anime series I’ve seen this year, but it originally run in 2013, so it’s technically not an anime series of 2014).  So for what my recommendation is worth, I say that Haikyuu! is the best anime series of 2014.


Miscellaneous musings:

• Up until now, I still have no idea what the word “haikyuu” means. 
• I applaud the visuals. It’s beautiful and really enhances the overall narrative, characterizations, and gags.     
• I think volleyball is more fun to watch if the players are females.  So, if I can make any change in this anime to improve it, I would have centered it on a female volleyball team instead. 
• Ryuunosuke Tanaka’s brash-and-tough demeanor always cracks me up.  His death stares are greatly fun moments.  
• Kōshi Sugawara is the classiest “benched senpai” character ever.  
• The main characters, Shōyō Hinata and Tobio Kageyama, are both “super rookie”-type characters.  The former is a technically limited volleyball player but a very phenomenal jumper and spiker; the latter is a genius setter as well as a well-rounded volleyball player.  One interesting unique detail is that the “ace player” of the team is neither main character but a B-tiered character named Asahi Azumane, a senior.
• Seriously, it’s only now that I understood how volleyball is much of an awesome team sport as basketball and American football.

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'Attack on Titan' is the 'Game of Thrones' of Anime

First of all, for the record, I’m not really a fan of Game of Thrones.  Yet.  I know it’s one of the hottest shows in TV right, but I still don’t follow it.  I’m still postponing my jumping into its fandom, not only because I am already into a lot of TV series right now, but because I intend to read the books (which I haven’t get the chance yet) before really immersing myself into that show.  Also, honestly, its reputation for having so much gratuitous nudity and sex – almost borderline pornography – does turn me off a bit (really).  Nonetheless, I am aware of what makes Game of Throne, well, Game of Thrones: a fantasy of superior-quality, unapologetic violence, a complex plot, shocking game-changing twists that just come out of nowhere, and the penchant for killing well-developed characters that the audience had already grew fond of.  And all those elements are present in Attack on Titan, which I’ve just recently watched (at the present, it has one season with 25 episodes).    

Among all present ongoing anime series, AoT is the most stimulating to watch.  There’s a rich amount of emotion in its narrative, the drama and action are very engrossing, its management of its characters are extremely well done, and it incites a lot of insight.  In AoT, I’ve never found this kind of depth in an anime since Code Geass.  Really.  AoTis just that amazing.   

In the world of Attack on Titan, or Shingeki no Kyojin in Japanese (which means “advancing giants”), the remnants of humanity live in a country protected from Titans by three tiers of gargantuan and extensive walls – Wall Maria (outer wall), Wall Rose (middle wall), and Wall Sinna (the final and innermost wall).  For a century, the first wall, Maria, was able to hold back the Titans, ensuring humans to enjoy peace.  The status quo changed when a colossal 60-meter Titan broke through Maria’s wall, allowing the Titans to invade human land.

Titans are nude, genitalia-less giants of varying heights that have dumb, crazy looks on their faces – sometimes with filthy, nutty smiles – as if they are high, psychotic hobo-baby hybrids.  The description I made in that last sentence seems to make the Titans look weird and silly, but they are actually terrifying.  They are mindless but they have a zombie-like drive to go after humans.  Their sudden appearance in the world brought humanity to the brink of extinction.  However, they actually don’t hunt, kill, and eat humans for the sake of food – it seems they have no need to nourish themselves with food – since they just vomit out the corpses they have devoured; it’s just that murdering and eating humans are their innate impulse.  They are nigh invulnerable, for they have a quick healing factor and any body parts they lose will only regenerate.  The only way to kill them is to cut through their nape severely. 

To fight the Titans, humanity has their military, which is divided into three parts: the corrupt and useless Military Police; the Garrison Squad, who are in charge of guarding the walls; and the elite Recon/Survey Corps, who go beyond the walls to Titan-infested lands, hence, are the most competent soldiers to fight Titans (and in which group the main characters of AoT chose to join in). 

The military’s soldiers are armed with swords (for slashing Titan’s flesh, especially the nape) and 3D Maneuver Gears (or “Vertical Maneuvering Equipment”), which are like the stuff in Sky Commanders (a GI-Joe rip-off back in the days), only cooler.  The equipment enables the soldiers to swing around buildings and trees a la Spider-Man, giving them more mobility and better access in combating the Titans in high heights and slashing their napes. 

Attack on Titan tells the story of the struggles and lives of these soldiers – particularly, the trio of Eren Yeager, Mikasa Ackermann, and Arminn Arlert; their batchmates from military boot camp; and the other members of the Survey Corps (wherein Eren and his batchmates decide to join after their graduation) – that have to face the hazards and carry the burden of going against murderous Titans in behalf of humanity’s protection and advancement.  Like Game of Thrones, the story of AoT is heavily character-driven.   It develops its characters very well, put plenty of personality and likability on them to get the audience invested in the characters as much as the story.  Thus, the audiences are really affected and even pained whenever these characters are killed in action.  It has established a feeling that no character is safe.  Everybody is fair game.  Everybody can get killed without moment’s notice. 

Heck, in an early episode, the main character, Eren, even got killed – he was eaten by a Titan.  Of course, a few episodes later, in a well-executed twist (for the record, all plot twists, though not all unexpected, have been well-executed), it was revealed that Eren was not really dead, that he actually has the ability to regenerate and transform into a Titan, and with his power manifesting for the first time, he burst out from the Titan that had eaten him.  The narrative was centrally being moved forward through Eren, but the whole thing was done in a way where you will never expect that he will actually come back.  At that point on, I really thought he was permanently dead, that he was a red herring and not the real main character.  It was awesome.  It was in Eren’s “death” where I actually went “Holy Tilda Swinton (go see Orphan Black to get the reference), this anime is so Game of Thrones-y!” since it was as if done in a Ned Stark manner.             

An interesting facet of AoT is how effectively it conveyed the cruelties and realities of war.  Yes, it has produced badass battle sequences.  But, again, because of the well-done character developments, deaths that rose from these battles have meaning and impact.  Us that are watching can easily empathize on the surviving characters that are scarred from the horrors they have gone through.  It also tackled the realistic principles in war, that death and sacrifice are necessary and should be willingly done for the sake of the greater good.  One memorable quote in the anime was, “Someone who can’t sacrifice anything can never change anything.”          

I appreciate AoT’s fast pacing; it seems a lot has happened already in its 25 episodes.  But, still, I just can’t get enough of it.  I do not know when the next season will be, and it needs to come fast.   AoT, for me, is best experienced in an anime format; therefore, I won’t read the manga as long as I can help it, so that I can enjoy any plot development in the anime without any foreknowledge of it due to reading the manga.  But if its new season doesn’t get here soon enough, then I’ll probably be led to check on the manga to get my needed AoT fix. 

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Top 10 Anime Protagonists & Top 10 Anime Antagonists

Initially, I intended it to merely be a Top 10 anime characters list – regardless of being heroes, anti-heroes or villains, like what I did with my top 10 comic book characters list.  However, I decided to try something new, to make a respective 10 for protagonists and antagonists.  Note: Though the main factor is the depiction of the characters in the anime, I also give some consideration to those parts of the character’s characterization and performance which have been omitted in the anime but are in the manga in my evaluation of the characters for the top 10 lists.

Let us start first with the protagonists… Making this list, I realized that I’m drawn to anime characters that are cool, smart, have swords, or/and have guns.

10.) TOKIYA MIKAGAMI (“Flame of Recca”)

Shinichiro Kudo a.k.a. Conan Edogawa has all the right to get this spot since he’s one of the greatest fictional detectives in my book.  However, the ridiculous and unnecessary “turning into a child” thing about the character annoys me greatly.  Also, I’ve already analyzed Kudo/Conan before in my top 10 fictional detectives list.  So, I have to give this spot to the character that follows closely behind Kudo in my personal fave anime characters list; if Kudo is 10A, Tokiya Mikagami from “Flame of Recca” is 10B.    So number 10 goes to Mikagami.  Mikagami, or Dylan in the Filipino dub, possesses my most favorite Madogu (psychic or elemental weapons that powers most of the combatant characters in “Flame of Recca”), the Ensui – a sword handle that forms its blade by the use of water.  Mikagami’s character is a perfect fit for Ensui.  With the technique of Hyomon Ken, Mikagami is able to manipulate Ensui well, utilizing the water and ice abilities of the Madogu.  Among the members of Team Hokage, Mikagami is definitely the smartest and most cold-blooded.  In a fight, Mikagami is a calculative tactician and treats opponents equally, thus, he has no reservations on taking down a female opponent.         

9.) VASH THE STAMPEDE (“Trigun”)

At face value, Vash has one of the coolest get-ups or appearances found in anime.  Just one look at him and you can easily tell that he’s one kickass, badass dude.  And the appearance is not at all deceiving.  At the first episode, we learn how awesome he is when the fact that he’s a guy with a high bounty on his head was presented.  And then we got acquainted with his superhuman agility, reflexes, and eyesight, which are combined with his superior gunslinging skills.  More than that, the reason the anime is titled “trigun” is because Vash has three guns in his disposal: his revolver, a cybernetic left arm that turns to a machine gun, and his “Angel Arm” – his right arm, when activated by his revolver, turns into a powerful cannon that can level cities with a single blast.     

8.) LEORIO PALADIKNIGHT (“Hunter X Hunter”)

Leorio has one of the coolest names I’ve ever encountered in fiction.   Though he’s probably the weakest in spite of being the oldest among the four main characters of “Hunter X Hunter”, I still like him the most.  Maybe because I’m a sucker for guys with sunglasses.  Or maybe because he doesn’t balk or give up even when faced with overwhelming odds in battle (like when he boldly faced Hisoka, earning the murderer’s respect).  He is also very loyal to his friends, and being the oldest, acts like a big brother to them.  He has some skills in weapons and is a talented haggler.         

7.) HIEI (“Yu Yu Hakushu”)

Yu Yu Hakushu or Ghost Fighter, as it was entitled when I first encountered it, is the first anime of its kind that I have watched.  Hiei or Vincent (in the Filipino-dub) was my favorite character from that anime.  His charm was probably having characteristics – black spirit power, monster background, etc. – that were more usual in a villain than a hero.  But that clicked.  When I first saw Vincent’s body covered with eyes, I found it cool and appealing of the character.  Moreover, I really loved Vincent’s swordmanship.  I would encounter plenty of “fast skilled swordsman”-type of anime characters, but Vincent was the first.        

6.) ROROANA ZORO (“One Piece”)

Zoro is the unofficial first mate of the Straw Hat Pirates.  It is presumed that Zoro is the second strongest among the Straw Hat Pirates, Luffy being the strongest.  What makes him unique among swordsman characters is his ability to use three swords at once – with the third one being held by his mouth.  That’s one totally badass dude.

5.) YOICHI HIRUMA (“Eyshield 21”)

Hiruma is the quarterback and leader of the Deimon Devil Bats.  Though Kobayakawa Sena – the Eyeshield 21 – is the story’s main character and team MVP, it can’t be denied that Hiruma is the reason of the team’s success.  He is the brains of the Devil Bats and the one who assembled such unique, diverse, and talented team.    Though Hiruma is not exceptionally athletic, his main asset is his tactical and cunning mind.  He loves using psychological warfare and running trick plays, and more often than not, his plans and manipulations work to the advantage of the team.  He knows well how to analyze and evaluate the talents and abilities of both his teammates and opponents, thus, he knows what plans to draw up to both perfectly utilize the strengths of his teammates and to attempt to exploit the weaknesses of his opponents.  During the last story arc, when Japan created an all-star team, Hiruma was the undisputed leader/mastermind/coach of the all-star team, having the freedom to run the plays and use the combination of players he wanted.  Being able to operate like a chess player with the other players willing to be his chess pieces showed how much the other players acknowledge his genius.              

4.) HATAKE KAKASHI (“Naruto”)

Kakashi has probably the richest arsenal of ninja techniques in the anime Naruto.  Having a Sharingan eye (gifted by his late friend Obito to him), he was able to copy around one thousand techniques.  He’s also an intelligent tactician (rivaled probably only by Shikamaru Nara and his father) and calm combatant.  His personality is that of a cool and detach one, but still cheerful.  But being versatile is not the only reason for me to like the character.  What’s special about him is his character.  Though he has a great reputation and plenty of talents as a ninja, he remains modest.  Moreover, he highly gives importance to teamwork and loyalty to friends and teammates above anything else.  Usually, a very talented or powerful anime character prefers (or is preferred by the creator or/and audience) to fight his opponents alone.  But in Kakashi’s case, even though he has the qualities of the powerful/talented anime character stereotype, because of his value for teamwork, he makes us appreciate the idea that there is more glory and appeal in fighting opponents as a team.             

3.) HIMURA KENSHIN (“Samurai X”)

Not only is he my most favorite samurai in fiction, but he’s my most favorite fictional character that wields a sword.  For most of my childhood, Kenshin is my most favorite anime character.  At that time, he was the deepest anime character I’ve ever encountered.  And his convictions are very admirable.  The way he fights is such a joy to watch, there’s a beautiful mix of grace and lethality in it.  But he does it in a way without having to kill his opponents.  After being known as a legendary and dangerous assassin “Hitokiri Battosai” during the Meiji Revolution, he grew weary of killing and found appreciation of life, thus, he vowed never to kill again.  In his personal path for self-redemption, he now uses his skills to help those in need and fight for the weak that are oppressed by wicked people.  With the use of a “reverse-edged” sword, Kenshin manages to fight utilizing his awesome sword skills without having to break his vow of non-killing.       

2.) LELOUCH LAMPEROUGE a.k.a. ZERO (“Code Geass”) 

The greatest anime series I’ve ever encountered (so far) is Code Geass.  Lelouch Lamperouge, or Lelouch vi Brittania (his real name), is one of the most compelling fictional characters ever created.  Donning a cape and a mask, Lelouch takes the identity of Zero.  He’s just a mere teenager but he has such a genius tactical and manipulative mind that allows him to formulate mindblowing and brilliant plans and strategies and execute them efficiently.  Not all his plans work, but he is able to make a comeback from his failures until he actually wins.  Though Lelouch has shown some motivations for noble reasons, his main motivations remain selfish and vengeful (although, we might be able to say that he has redeemed himself in the end), making his noble reasons seem insincere and mere guises.  He is very manipulative; and though he has a conscience, his desire for revenge is stronger than it, thus, he is ready to use anybody for his own purposes.  Through his alter ego Zero, Lelouch has created the Black Knights to be his “chess pieces” for taking on the mighty Brittanian Empire.  Dependent on Zero’s leadership, the Black Knights had successes and slowly but steadily grew in power.  Lelouch also possesses a Geass which grants him the power of mind control, enhancing the extent of his manipulations.  

1.) GENJO SANZO (“Gensomaden Saiyuki”)

When I wrote a list of my favorite fictional characters years ago, the “most fave anime/manga character” went to Genjyo Sanzo.  Having encountered several animes and anime characters since then, Sanzo remained as number one to me.  Gensomaden Saiyuki’s four main characters are the coolest foursome ever in fiction.  There’s an overflowing amount of swag in them.  And the best among them is the leader Sanzo.  Genjyo is rational, indifferent, and cold (though quick-tempered when he’s annoyed by Goku and Gojyo), and, reflecting the general attitude of his group, has the confidence that all opponents and obstacles can be overcome no matter how difficult (even gods!).    Possessing a revolver and the Maten Sutra, which neutralizes demons thoroughly, Sanzo is one mean, badass monk you don’t want to mess with.   

* * * 

At the case of antagonists, the villains that appeal to me are a pretty diverse bunch.  Common things among them are pretty small.  Some are totally evil.  Some are antagonists, but only because of the context of the story.  Some have been able to aid the protagonists.  Anti-hero-type antagonists and competent deep villains interest me.  But I don’t like the type of villains that, though perfect as villains, are too disgusting already (like Koran Mori from “Flame of Recca”, especially after he bonded with the Tendo Jigoku) to be fascinating. 

10.) KUREI MORI (“Flame of Recca”)

Kurei was introduced as the main bad guy, with his foster father Koran Mori, at the start of the story and was the prominent main villain during the first half of the story.  Though Kurei would progress on to become more of an anti-hero later on, he still remained vengeful, dangerous, ruthless and callous.  In fact, he’s only an ally to Recca in the sense that they now shared a common enemy (Koran Mori).  But as Kurei promised, he would deal with Recca after he’s done with his foster father.  Still, there always remain a respect and sense of brotherhood between Recca nad Kurei.   I actually find Kurei’s flame more fascinating than Recca’s.  Kurei’s takes the form of a phoenix, which is able to absorb souls and make them his flame as what he has done with his lover Kurenai and his ally Jisho.  I like Kurei with a full mask on, since it makes him more sinister.    

   

9.) FLEET ADMIRAL SAKAZUKI, formerly ADMIRAL AKAINU (“One Piece”)

Even when he was first introduced as an admiral, I found Akainu (I’m still not used with “Sakazuki”) to be the most ruthless and has the makings of a perfect main villain among the three Navy admirals (while Kuzan has the most potential of favoring Luffy and crew).  Akainu’s Spartan disposition leads him to commit harsh acts like killing the fan favorite Portgas D. Ace and destroying a ship of refugees because of the small possibility that a target is hiding on board.  Akainu is also the only one who was able to break Luffy’s spirit (after killing Ace), as well as giving Luffy an X-shaped scar on the chest.  His volcanic power is a perfect fit for his character.   Hands down, among all the One Piece antagonists, he’s the best.

8.) OROCHIMARU (“Naruto”)

Even if you don’t know a thing about Naruto, just one look at Orochimaru and one can see he’s the villain of the story.  His appearance is first class villain material: pale skin, malicious snake eyes, and a dark dangerous smile.  Even his hissy voice is perfect for a villain.  And, moreover, his ninja techniques are evil, as he has such techniques like summoning snakes and manipulating the dead.   He greatly lusts for personal power and doesn’t care whoever or whatever he needs to destroy to get it.  He commits dastardly things with no hesitation to get what he wants which include but not limited to performing evil experiments on people (even children!), murder, slavery, and treachery. Personally, I find Orochimaru a more interesting villain than Tobi though the latter is filled with mystery and twists.  Orochimaru has a straight-on, hard boiled pure evil in him.      

7.) EVIL BUU/SUPER BUU/KID BUU ("Dragon Ball Z")

No doubt that the most powerful and most interesting villain in Dragon Ball Z is Super Buu.  As the product of Evil Buu eating Good Buu (Majin Buu), Super Buu would go on causing great devastation – more than any other Dragon Ball villain before him has done – on the planet with his tremendous power.  He is greatly empowered by his anger and destructive nature, and he’s very cunning as well, being able to find ways to turn the tide against his opponents when the fight is not going his way.  He has a wide range of powers and abilities which includes different kinds of ki or energy attacks, manipulation and regeneration of his body due to his physical make-up, turning people into food, and absorption.  With his ability to absorb people, by either turning them to food or by using a part of his gooey pink composition, he is able to grow stronger with each absorption.  He was able to absorb Goten and Trunks (Gotenks), Piccolo, and Gohan during his run.  Though Vegeta and Goku managed to free the absorbed ones from Super Buu, turning him to Kid Buu, he remained completely dangerous and powerful.

 

5.) & 6.) TOGORU BROTHERS ("Yu Yu Hakushu")

The 5^th and 6^thspots go to the Togoru Brothers.  Who's 5th and who's 6th?  Either way will do.  Though they have different motivations and personalities, their notoriety is enhanced as a package.  Both brothers have very interesting abilities.  The Elder Togoru has total control of his body that he can manipulate and shape-shift, thus he can sharpen body parts, elongate, create a dummy of himself, regenerate, and even move internal organs around his body.  The Younger Togoru can manipulate how much percentage of his power he will release, ranging from 0% to 120%; as percentage increases, his muscles thicken and enlarge and his appearance proportionately change to be more demon-like.  Remember that Yu Yu Hakushu was the first anime that I had followed, and after having watched plenty of animes since then, the Togoru brothers charm as villains are rarely surpassed.       

4.) GIN ICHIMARU ("Bleach")

“Bleach” has several solid villains.  Ichigo and the other Shinigamis taking on Hallows and Arrancars are fun to see (yep, I don’t like the Bounts).  Sosuke Aizen is an intriguing antagonist due to the character’s awesome 180 degrees turn from kindly and nice brotherly figure to being the ruthless and cunning main villain as a twist.  But, still, in spite of that, I still find Gin Ichimaru a more fascinating character.  To be fair, maybe indeed Aizen is the better villain objectively and I just really like the Ichimaru character so much.  Nonetheless, I would still give this spot to Ichimaru (it’s my list after all.  I can do what I want!).  Prior to the revelation of Aizen faking his murder and actually being the manipulative mastermind behind the conspiracy, it was being suggested that Ichimaru was the traitor inside Gotei 13 and is going to be the main antagonist in the story.  Aizen would eventually turn out to be the main villain and Gin merely a subordinate, but still, there is a nagging feeling in me that there could be something more to Gin.  He’s such a rich and interesting character since he was introduced, because of the sense of mystery wrapped around the character.  And then in Bleach’sbiggest twist (so far), it is revealed that Gin only joined Aizen so he can kill him.  Yes, for years, Gin pretended to be Aizen’s ally and lackey so he can get his trust and learn his weakness.  So when the perfect opportunity arises, he can have the pleasure of killing him.  It was for the sake of avenging what Aizen did to the only person he cared for, Rangiku Matsumoto.  It’s not completely revealed what Aized did though, but it was enough to make Gin Ichimaru vow revenge and formulate such elaborate plan to take down Aizen.  Gin would fail in killing Aizen, but, still, what he did is a proof that he’s an awesome character.   If that’s not a good enough reason for you, let me add the fact that his Shikai’s ability is to extend its blade like a boss.    

3.) AGON KONGO ("Eyeshield 21")

In a story with a sport context, usually, antagonists are only “antagonists” in the sense of being competitors and opponents of the main character/s or main characters’ team – “antagonists” only because they play against the “protagonists”.  In fact, the word “antagonist” seems to be too much to describe them since they are merely competing and not antagonizing.  But, indeed, there are competitors who are jerks and dirty in their games, so having the word “antagonists” fits them.  One such in “Eyeshield 21” is Agon Kongo.  He’s not a dirty player, since he doesn’t need to be so because his talents are more than enough.  But he is vicious, and delights in overwhelming and destroying his opponents.  Agon is a genius, in which he finds it easy and natural to learn skills and be athletic.  He possesses natural athleticism, speed, intelligence, and strength, and though he’s lazy and doesn’t train, his skills are still far better than those who train extensively (like his twin brother Unsui).  He possesses an innate talent called “God’s impulse” which allows him to understand and learn difficult physical movements and activities in a short span of time.  “God’s Impulse” also gave him a superhuman muscular memory and reaction time that allows him to move and react against opponents with great haste.  Because of these natural talents that he possesses, Agon is extremely arrogant and has a strong superiority complex and treats everyone as mere “worthless trash”.  However, this arrogance is not of overconfidence but just based on the fact that he’s actually superior.  Nonetheless, after his team got defeated by the Deimon Devil Bats, Agon began training profusely everyday in his desire to beat them next time, which would be considered a progress with Agon’s attitude.  Agon also started showing some signs of ability to care for a team (though, maybe, still selfish in motivation) and his teammates during his stint with the All-Japan team.  At the end of the manga, Agon is showed to have joined Hiruma, Akaba, Yamato, and Taka in college to form a powerhouse team.                      

   

2.) SHISHIO MAKOTO ("Samurai X")

Shishio could be the most popular and most iconic villain from Samurai X.  Being burned alive and surviving it, Shishio covered his entire body with bandages to hide his disfigured appearance, which gave him a badass mummy look.  Shishio is a ruthless, coldblooded sociopath and believes that the weak only lives for the benefit of the strong.  He is crafty, intelligent, and a very talented swordsman.   However, he can only fight for a maximum of 25 minutes because of the danger of overheating due to having no sweat glands.  He is shown to have the ability to neutralize his opponent’s abilities after seeing it in action.  What makes him more badass than he already was is that though he failed in his attempt to take over the Japanese government, he seems to have continued his aspirations in the afterlife, by deciding to take over Hell (seriously, it was implied in the anime).     

 

1.) HISOKA ("Hunter X Hunter")

Hisoka is a very fascinating character.  His personality is that of a jester, cheerful killer.  He’s very cruel, deceitful, and dramatic.  He’s completely egocentric and would only do something if it interests him.   He’s an extremely strong combatant who delights in killing.  However, he obtains his greatest pleasure from fighting and killing powerful fighters.  He has great instinct in judging somebody’s strength and potential.  Therefore, when he perceives someone having the potential to be a powerful fighter someday, he would allow them to live even though he can easily kill them, and will wait until they reach their full strength to challenge them.  He calls these potential targets as “unripe fruit” and such was the case with the four main protagonists of Hunter X Hunter.  What I like most about Hisoka is his uniqueness from other villains.  While typical villains have motivations of revenge or lust for power or “taking over the world”, Hisoka’s motivation is mainly based on his self-interest and lust for the thrill of fighting and killing (especially strong opponents).             

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Top 10 Anime Series

Anime has made a big impact to our pop culture.  It charmed the generation I belong in and it continues to charm the generation after mine.  I assume that all of you know what anime is and I don’t need to define it or give some background. So, let’s go down to business.  My top ten:

10.) DRAGONBALL Z

A top ten anime list will never be complete without the immortal Dragonball Z (let’s just pretend that Dragonball and Dragonball GT do not exist, okay?).  I liked DBZ, but not to the extent that I really became a die-hard fan.  Yes, the series entertained me much, but, seriously, it’s kind of ridiculous.  Characters are too powerful.  The plot is so annoyingly slow-paced sometimes – heck, an entire episode can go on with just the two combatants staring at each other.  There are times that the story would be predictable (i.e. Goku will be resurrected again by the Dragonballs after being killed for the nth time). 

But it does have its moments of epicness and badassery (in fact, a lot of it).  Moreover, it’s probably the most popular anime in the world, so it at least gets my number 10 spot.

9.) CINDERELLA MONOGATARI

Ah.  I really love this when I was a kid.  The greatest reinvention of the Cinderella fairy tale.  This is what I wrote some time ago about Leonard (the prince) and Cinderella:

With no "love at first sight at the Ball" nonsense, they started as friends and had their bond strengthened by several adventures together, which ultimately blossomed romantically in that Ball.

Each episode was refreshing to watch because of this.  

8.) VANDREAD

I love the premise of “Vandread.”  In the far future, space has been colonized by humanity.  But during this time, in a specific system, the battle of the sexes become literal as males and females are alienated and at cold war with each other.    A crew of female pirates attacks and takes over a male battleship, and takes three male prisoners.  Then the living core of the ship fuses the male ship with the pirate crew’s own ship to form a hipper but mysterious ship which is later named “Nirvana”.  Nirvana suddenly warped far away in distant space.  Aside from the ship, the Vanguard (a male-designed humanoid robot) that was in the male ship and three Dreads (female-designed fighter spaceplanes) of the pirates are also changed as well that enable them to combine into a Vandread mecha (thus, the title).   In their journey to go back home, the males and females in “Nirvana” learn to co-exist.  The experience planted the hope of men and women possibly living together again.  And, oh, they also have to fight human-harvesting AI machines along their way back (and to warn their people – men and women – about the incoming danger)…  

7.) ONE PIECE

I was hesitant to include animes that are still ongoing since I won’t be able to evaluate it in its entirety.

I had considered adding “Naruto” and “Bleach”, but though I love these two for years already, I still think it’s too early to add them to this list.  Especially with “Bleach”.  I really considered it because it contains mindblowing twists and has some of the best action you can find in anime.  But it also has annoyingly long irrelevant arcs that are not related to the main story, which put it out of discussion.  

One Piece, however, deserves to be in this top 10.  Among the “Big 3” – hottest manga/animes today – composed of “Naruto”, “Bleach”, and “One Piece”, “One Piece” is the best.  Characters and storylines are interestingly conceptualized, and filled with humor and action and adventure that will never tire the fans.  Obviously, its ranking will definitely rise in a future list.  

6.) DORAEMON

A robot cat from the future that aids an elementary boy in his daily struggles (e.g. school, girls, bullies,etc.) by loaning him farfetched gadgets?  A sure winning formula for comedic scenarios.  And this show effectively delivered just that.  

5.) SLAM DUNK

This anime was one of the reasons I started to get interested in basketball.  The Shohoku High team is the centerpiece of this anime, detailing its journey from a non-playoff "one-man" team to one of the elite teams of their district.  I really love how the action and excitement of the basketball court was translated by this series.  It’s just a bummer that the national tournament never made it to the anime.

4.) YU YU HAKUSHU

This is the anime that got me interested in anime as we know of today.  Yu-yu Hakushu – or “Ghost Fighter” as it is known in these parts – was my favorite anime back then.  It has excellent characters, action, and storylines – a formula that future anime series would emulate.  Others had perfected that formula since then, but Yu Yu Hakushu is the first of its brand of anime.

3,) GENSOMADEN SAIYUKI

Gensomaden Saiyuki is a hip reinvention of a Chinese classic novel called “Journey to the West” (published around the 1590s).  This anime featured the greatest foursome in fiction (Yup, I consider Sanzo’s Party better than even the legendary foursome, the Fantastic Four).   And they are a big part why this show was awesome.  Each episode is a guaranteed performance of badassery and coolness by the four of them.  They’re always on a roll and unstoppable.  Aside from the charisma of the main characters, the show’s success is also attributable to its animation techniques that greatly enhance the already superb storytelling and music scores (especially “For Real”) that effectively stir the emotions of the viewers.  

  

2.) SAMURAI X (RURUONI KENSHIN)

Samurai X features one of the best anime fight choreographies ever.  It tells of a former infamous samurai, Kenshin Himura, who made a commitment to not kill again after being known as “Battōsai the Slasher” during the war.  He became a peaceful wanderer, and eventually settled down in the Kamiya Dojo (where his adventures during the show’s run start).  To be able to enforce his vow of non-killing, Himura make use of a unique “reverse-edged sword”.  This had become a disadvantage for Kenshin in his fights, but he continues to beat the odds without breaking his vow.  This theme has been constant in all the show’s storylines.

1.) CODE GEASS

Greatest anime ever.  Hands down in a landslide, “Code Geass” gets the top spot.    Deep and interesting characters, exceptional concept and themes, plenty of mind-blowing twists, and a superbly constructed story… in fact, this anime is one of the best pieces of fiction I have ever encountered. 

I don’t want to reveal too much since it’s really really worth seeing for yourself.  But, here’s the story in a nutshell… The story revolves around a high school student named Lelouch, who is secretly the notorious rebel leader “Zero” who desires to take down the Brittanian Empire and free Japan from its clutches.  Zero is granted a geass that can mind control people by a mysterious immortal named CC.  With his geass and CC by his side, Zero also has the Black Knights – freedom fighters – under him to help him in his goals.  Lelouch has his own selfish reasons on fighting the Brittanian Empire.  But in the end, his goals would realign and he would bring out the best of his talents in strategy and manipulation to create the universally coveted world peace.  Watch the show on how that came about.  It’s worth it. 

Honorable Mention (i.e. other animes considered for the top 10): Cowboy Bebop, Hunter X Hunter, Nadia: Secret of Blue Water, Dual, Gundam Wing, Detective Conan, Lupin III, Eyeshield 21, Full Metal Alchemist, Robotech (The Super Dimension Fortress Macross)

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