Top 10 Crossovers

Crossovers happen when two (or more) characters or properties are joined together in one story or project.  And the best kinds are those you don’t expect to happen because they belong to different fictional universes and/or different companies; hence, when it does happen, it’s pretty mindblowing.

Here are my favorites...

Honorable Mention: JUSTICE LEAGUE/TRANSFORMERS

Before we start with the number 10 spot, I want to give an honorable mention to Phil Jimenez’s Justice League/Transformers crossover.  Unfortunately, this comic book project never went further than the two concept artworks above as DC turned down Jimenez’s pitch.  What a bummer.  It would have had Wonder Woman’s invisible jet becoming a Transformer, a Batman-themed Transformer, and – coolest of all – Optimus Prime wielding a Green Lantern ring.  It would have been epic.

10.) THE JIMMY TIMMY POWER HOUR

The Jimmy Timmy Power Hour is a TV special featuring a crossover between The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius and The Fairly OddParents.  Both are Nickelodeon shows, but a crossover happening between this two seemed unlikely because the two shows’ respective universes are too different.  One universe deals with science, and the other in magic.  Moreover, the two shows have different animation styles – Jimmy Neutron is computer-generated, and Fairly OddParents is hand-drawn.  But these distinctions wonderfully meshed in bringing about a charming narrative and visuals about Jimmy and Timmy switching places.

This is actually a trilogy now, but I only got to watch the first one.

9.) PHINEAS AND FERB: MISSION MARVEL

Phineas and Ferb, one of the best cartoons of the 21^st century so far, also had a crossover with Star Wars.  That was cool, too, but I liked the team up of these two boy geniuses with Spider-Man, Thor, Iron Man, and Hulk more.  It’s immensely fun; easily my most favorite two-part episode of the show.

8.) WHO FRAMED ROGER RABBIT?                     

They only made cameos, but it’s only in Who Framed Roger Rabbit? where we get to see Bugs Bunny and Mickey Mouse together on screen.  Various other classic cartoon characters from Disney and Warner Bros. and other companies also made appearances in this movie.  But seeing Bugs and Mickey was what blew me away back when I saw this movie for the first time.

7.) SUPER SMASH BROS.

I extremely like this game franchise.  I will not pretend that I enjoy playing this game franchise when I’ve never played any Super Smash Bros. game ever.  But I do enjoy watching Youtube videos of replays of other people playing it, especially in tournaments.  I love the premise of this fighting game, which features different characters and motifs from various video game franchises.  It’s a brilliant crossover concept.     

6.) DC VS. MARVEL COMICS and AMALGAM COMICS

 

One of my biggest regrets in life was losing my Marvel vs. DC “tex” (Filipino mini-cards) collection (along with my other “tex” collections).  I loved that crossover back then, and I still have fond memories of it. 

DC vs. Marvel Comics(alternatively known as Marvel Comics vs. DC) was a 90’s limited comic book series that involved duels between Marvel characters and DC characters, of which the winner was to be decided by fan votes.  In the aftermath of this story, a temporary universe was created – the Amalgam Universe – which had characters resulting from mergers between Marvel and DC characters.   My favorite Amalgam characters were Dark Claw (merger of Batman and Wolverine), Spider-Boy (Spider-Man and Superboy), Doctor Strangefate (Doctor Strange and Fate), Iron Lantern (Iron Man and Green Lantern), and Hyena (Sabretooth and the Joker).

Dark Claw vs. Hyena

5.) LEAGUE OF EXTRAORDINARY GENTLEMEN

I don’t think the lineup is perfect – I think Sherlock Holmes should have been part of it – but I think Alan Moore is a genius for thinking of this: a Victorian superhero team made up of classic Victorian literary characters.  That’s why it’s one of my most favorite superhero teams ever.

4.) LUPIN THE 3RD VS. DETECTIVE CONAN

This crossover came as a delightful surprise to me when I learned about it.  Having anime’s best detective and best thiefmatching wits seems just a product of fan fantasy.  But more than the inherent charm of being a dream matchup/teamup, the two Lupin the 3^rdvs. Detective Conan movies – the first one came out in 2009 and its sequel came out in 2013 – truly give justice, not only to the characters of Lupin and Conan, but to the tones and themes of the two anime properties.

3.) MARVEL VS. CAPCOM

Now, this is a fighting game that I got to play with.  I really loved this franchise as a kid.  I was kind of addicted to it.  It started with X-Men vs. Street Fighter.  Then, other Marvel characters joined the X-Men in Marvel vs. Street Fighter.  Then, other game characters from other Capcom games joined Street Fighter in Marvel vs. Capcom.  And, then, since the source of the pool of characters can’t be expanded anymore, a sequel with additional characters came out instead (Marvel vs. Capcom 2 is the last game of the franchise that I was able to play).  And then another sequel followed.  And then another.  If Super Smash Bros. had never existed, this franchise would have been the ultimate crossover fighting game. 

2.) BATMAN/SPIDER-MAN

 

Batman and Spider-Man are my top two most favorite comic book characters ever.  Thus, I was ecstatic when they crossed-over twice in the 90’s.  First was “Distorted Minds” – which had them teaming up against the Joker and Carnage – and then “New Age Dawning” – which had them teaming up against Ra’s al Ghul and the Kingpin.  Those two comics were really well-written and perfectly depicted how the two characters would have behaved if they existed in the same fictional universe and had to team up.

1.) JLA/AVENGERS

This is not only one of the greatest comic books I’ve ever read but is also the most epic crossover ever.  Kudos to Kurt Busiek (writer) and George Perez (artist) for rising up to the challenge of delivering a thoughtful and exciting story that is rightful for a crossover of this scale.  Not only is this limited series a perfect crossover story between the premier all-star superhero teams from DC and Marvel, but it has also taken upon itself to effectively analyze and contrast the DC and Marvel universes.  In fact, it’s actually as much of a crossover between the two universes (with plenty of cameos) as much as a mere crossover between the Justice League of America and the Avengers.  The convergence of the two universes – which resulted into awesome reality-bending sequences – is part of the central plot of the story.

This convergence is depicted in the cosmic plane as the living embodiments of the Marvel and DC Universes making love with each other.  This resulted to a conception of an "egg" that could hatch into a new "baby universe" someday.  Insane, but awesomely clever.

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Top 10 Fictional Thieves

Stealing is always wrong.  But in the context of fiction, talented and cool thieves appeal to us greatly.  We are won over by their calculated planning, amazing skill sets, graceful athleticism, and inherent charm.  So we root for them and the success of their endeavors.

For this list, it’s not enough for a character to be just identified as a “thief.”  He or she should also have spent significant time being a thief during the run of the story that he or she is in.  Hence, though I like Gambit and Fantomex a lot, they are involved in more “superhero” stuff than actual “thief” stuff.  It’s the same thing with Inception’s Dom Cobb; he’s a unique thief-character because he steals information by infiltrating his targets’ dreams, but the plot of the movie had him implanting ideas instead of doing actual stealing.

So now, unto the list --

10.) THOMAS CROWN

I think 1999 was when I first got interested in heist stories and fictional thieves, thanks to two interesting heist movies that came out that year: Entrapment and The Thomas Crown Affair.  However, I liked the latter’s story and featured thief, Thomas Crown, more.

Bored of his life’s status quo, wealthy financier Thomas Crown successfully stole an expensive painting from a museum in the cover of the confusion of a failed burglary (which he arranged).  He then developed romantic feelings for the insurance investigator that was going after him, Catherine Banning; to show that his love for her was genuine, he conducted a well-planned and well-executed operation full of misdirection that enabled him to return the painting hanging in the museum and to steal another one (a painting that Banning was interested in) amidst a building full of police officers.

9.) BLACK CAT

Some may consider Black Cat as a Marvel rip-off of DC’s Catwoman (who is going to appear later in this list).  But there is enough substance and unique characteristics in this character to make her stand out.  She is functioning as a supervillain now, but for most of her character history, she was more of an anti-heroine that regularly sided with the good guys (especially with Spider-Man, with whom she even had a fling with) even though she’s a career thief.  And that’s what’s I liked most about her character.  She might team up with superheroes when the occasion calls for it, but she is – first and foremost – a thief, and never had any intention of stopping.

8.) ROBIN HOOD

Robin Hood is the embodiment of archery, but he still definitely deserves a spot in this list.  He’s the “Prince of Thieves” after all.  In addition, the popular “steal from the rich, and give to the poor” trope started with him.

7.) FUJIKO MINE

Fujiko constantly uses her allure to con targets.  But she’s not all sex appeal.  She’s a legitimately proficient thief, a daredevil biker, a badass martial artist, and a deadly weapons expert.

Though she isn’t an official part of Lupin’s crew, she has found herself working with them time and time again.  However, once the job is done, Fujiko would usually double-cross Lupin and take sole possession of the benefit that arose from the collaboration.  But Lupin, who is greatly smitten with Fujiko, doesn’t mind at all.

6.) KAITOU KID

I haven’t followed the Magic Kaito anime in which Kaito Karaba a.k.a. Kaitou Kid is the main character.  I only get to encounter him due to his recurring appearances in Detective Conan(this one I followed for years).  But those few appearances – on which he either clashes or allies with Detective Shinichi Kudo/Conan Edogawa – were enough to make me like the character.

Kaito Kuraba is just a normal high school student, but he also keeps a secret alter ego, the magician-thief Kaitou Kid.  He has a genius level intellect (that’s why his match of wits against Shinichi/Conan usually ends in a draw) and has proven to excel in a variety of things.  He loves to show off his skills as a magician, and incorporates magic tricks in his heists as Kaitou Kid.  And just like the number one of this list, he is also a master of disguise.  Moreover, unlike the others in this list, there’s a fan base that roots for Kaitou Kid in his escapades; a crowd of fans often shows up in the place where he is spotted or expected to show up, and they cheer him as he goes after the item he intends to steal while the police attempt to catch him.

5.) OCEAN’S ELEVEN

I greatly enjoyed the Ocean movie trilogy and love Danny Ocean (played by George Clooney) and his crew.  I love how each member has something different to contribute for the job.  I love their chemistry.  And I love how they were able to successfully pull off these awesomely complicated, twist-filled, and very entertaining heists (which only the number 3 of this list was able to match).

4.) CATWOMAN

Catwoman is one of DC’s most iconic characters.  Initially, she was purely portrayed as a Batman supervillain.  However, later on, she would eventually develop into something more of an anti-heroine and even become a member of the New 52 incarnation of the Justice League of America.  She maintains an on-off, love-hate romantic relationship with Batman, and has been one of his most constant allies.  However, despite her alignment with good, her reputation remains that of a proficient thief and continues to dabble with high-end burglary and other underworld-related pursuits.

3.) LEVERAGE CONSULTING & ASSOCIATES

The terrific Leverage TV series featured fiction’s most entertaining ensemble of thieves.  The team is made up of extremely talented criminals – Nathan Ford (“The Mastermind”/”The Brains”), Sophie Devereaux (“The Grifter”), Alec Hardison (“The Hacker”), Parker (“The Thief”), and Eliot Spence (“The Hitter”) – that have decided to band together and use their skills to target powerful and greedy corporations and individuals that oppresses or steals from ordinary people that are unable to defend themselves.  The team carries out elaborate cons on their targets in order to get back what they stole and bring them to justice.

2.) CARMEN SANDIEGO

Carmen is one of my most favorite female fictional characters ever, and playing her games had this deep impact on me that she has become the definitive femme fatale master thief on whom I compare other such kind of characters on.

1.) ARSÈNE LUPIN III

There is no other thief that charmed me most than Lupin the 3rd.  According to the anime’s mythology, Lupin is supposedly the grandson of Arsène Lupin, the popular literary gentleman thief created by French writer Maurice Leblanc.  He is acknowledged in the anime’s universe as the top thief in the world.

Lupin has a goofy and playful demeanor with a weakness for attractive women.  But under an outside appearance that seemingly can’t be taken seriously is an extremely versatile and intelligent individual.  He is a brilliant strategist, a creative schemer, and can think well under pressure.  He is knowledgeable of using and is in possession of a variety of high-tech gadgetries as well as possesses traditional thief skills like pickpocketing and cracking safes.  He is flexible, unpredictable, an adept driver, and can effortlessly think on his feet – which allow him to escape pursuers easily.  Even if caught, he is also a master escape artist, so jails and cuffs won’t hold him for long.  He is a capable close-combatant and shooter when the need arises, but he prefers to run away from trouble rather than engaged in it.  He’s all of these and more, but his most defining characteristic is his ability to flawlessly take on other people’s appearances.   He is as much as a master of disguise as he is a master thief.

He usually works with master samurai Goemon, master gunman Jigen, and femme fatale Fujiko, and together they form a formidable, unstoppable – and delightfully fun – crew. 

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Top 10 Fictional Drivers

Simply stated, this is a list of fictional characters that are defined by their time behind the wheel.  It doesn’t necessarily mean that this list is dependent on their driving skills.  They are picked and rank depending on how I find them interesting as wheelmen characters.

10.) NEEDLESS KANE

Needless Kane is the driver of the most popular car from the Twisted Metalgames, Sweet Tooth (which, for a time, I mistook for the name of the driver – and I know I’m not the only one).  He’s simply the Joker (or It’s Pennywise) on wheels.  He derives a demented sense of delight in death, destruction, mayhem, and chaos, hence, bringing those about with his iconic killing ice cream truck.

9.) OVERDRIVE

This B-list Spider-Man supervillain possesses nanites that allow him to have limited technopathy and modify vehicles to his liking.  Hence, he makes a great getaway driver and is sought by crews to be their wheelman during heists.  An amusing aspect of this character, as revealed in the excellent Superior Foes of Spider-Man comic series, is that he really wants to be a superhero but chose to be a supervillain since he thinks the stint will give him the best opportunity to “break in” the superhero community, reasoning out that famous superheroes like Hawkeye, Black Widow, Scarlet Witch, and Quicksilver all started out as supervillains first.

8.) FRANK WILLIAM “CHAS” CHANDLER

Chas is probably John Constantine’s closest and most loyal friend.  He is a London cab driver that constantly functions as Constantine’s ride whenever he’s on a case.  Most of the time, Constantine doesn’t really let Chas to be deeply involved on his supernatural escapades, for his own good, thus, he enjoys a survival rate that few of Constantine’s friends have.  However, in the now-cancelled (bummer) TV series, Chas is a more active sidekick for Constantine and has more of a supernatural reason behind his survival rate.  One night, in a club, Constantine put a protection charm on him before they separated.  Later, the club caught fire and Chaz with 47 others were burned.  But because of Constantine’s spell, Chaz absorbed those 47 lives, giving him the ability to die and regenerate 47 times.

7.) ALEX TULLY

After geek god Nathan Fillion was Malcolm Reynolds and before he became Rick Castle, he took on the role of Alex Tully, lead protagonist of the short-lived, unfinished TV series, Drive.  The show focuses on an illegal, cross-country road race of unlikely participants and Alex Tully was one of them.  Because of his past experience as a semi-pro racer and a notorious getaway driver/bank robber, he was coerced into joining the race when his wife was kidnapped.  It’s an intriguing story, but, unfortunately, we’ll never know how it ends since the series was cut off at only 6 episodes.

6.) BO DARVILLE a.k.a. BANDIT

Everybody – the people in the Smokey and the Bandit’s universe as well as the movie’s audience – loves this charismatic and iconic Burt Reynolds-portrayed character.  Already established as a legendary driver and folk hero in the beginning of the story, Bandit would bait the police to chase him so that he can divert the attention away from a beer smuggling operation that he had bet he and his friend, Snowman, can accomplish in record time.  Along the way, with occasional help from truckers that he was constantly in communication with via CB radio, Bandit would constantly outsmart and outrun the police – led by Sheriff Buford T. Justice – to hilarious effect.

5.) RACER X

Racer X is an important recurring character in the classic anime series Speed Racer.  This heroic masked racer/secret agent is actually the estranged older brother of main character, Speed, but though he has nagging suspicions of his real identity throughout the series, it was only near at the end of the series where the truth is fully revealed to him.  Racer X is considered by Speed as a superior racer that he vows to beat, and Racer X vows to look after his younger brother always.  His car’s name is the Shooting Star (number 9).

4.) DOMINIC TORETTO

Dom is the face of The Fast and the Furious franchise as well as its best driver (sorry, Brian).  He always wins in every race (he only loses when he allows himself) and does the craziest, most badass stunts.  He is a strong leader, a religious man, has a moral code, and puts family above anything else.

3.) FRANK MARTIN a.k.a. THE TRANSPORTER

Frank Martin is the titular character of The Transporter movie series and my most favorite Jason Statham role.  He was introduced as an immensely skillful and meticulous driver known as the best wheelman-for-hire there is.  He will transport anything or anyone – no questions asked, and always on time.  He strictly maintains three rules: 1.) “Once the deal is made, it is final”; 2.) “No names”; and 3.) “Never open the package.”  Moreover, he is a former Special Forces operative and can kick butt whenever he is crossed.

2.) SPEED RACER

The titular character of the classic Speed Racer anime drives the iconic Mach 5 – a racing car that has eight special features installed on it, which are activated by buttons labeled A to G on its steering wheel hub and a button H located on a console between the car’s two seats.  Speed is extremely fond of racing and his love for the sport is only rivaled by his love for his family.  His adventures aren’t exclusive in the race track, as he finds himself occasionally dabbling in crime fighting.

1.) WACKY RACERS

I have to admit that this list is built around the participants of Wacky Races, one of the Hanna-Barbera properties that I loved watching as a kid (and re-watching now as an adult).  I have no clear favorites and I enjoy all these quirky racers and their respective outlandish cars as a whole, so all of them – the Slag Brothers (#1 Boulder Mobile), the Gruesome Twosome (#2 Creepy Coupe), Professor Pat Pending (#3 Convert-a-Car), the Red Max (#4 Crimson Haybaler), Penelope Pitstop (#5 Compact Pussycat), Sergeant Blast and Private Meekly (#6 Army Surplus Special), the Ant Hill Mob (#7 Bulletproof Bomb), Lazy Luke and Blubber Bear (#8 Arkansas Chuggabug), Peter Perfect (#9 Turbo Terrific), Ruffus Ruffcut and Sawtooth (#10 Buzzwagon), and Dick Dastardly and Muttley (#00 Mean Machine) – share the top spot.

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Top 10 Fictional Mob Bosses

I know that there are probably better choices than some of my picks for this list.  The likes of Scarface’s Tony Montana and The Departed’s Frank Costello and The Soprano’s Tony Soprano are some of the noteworthy names that aren’t in this list.  There are just others, though less popular, that I found to be more enjoyable.  “Mob bosses”, for all purposes of this list, are characters that happen to be either actual heads of a crime organization or rightful heirs for the position – regardless of their alignment: good, bad, or in between.              

10.) JABBA THE HUTT

I don’t really care much for this ugly, sluggish alien, but I love Star Wars and he’s one of its important antagonists that I still think he’s qualified to get a spot in this list.   This despicable and powerful crime lord is depicted as greedy, ruthless, and derives pleasure from keeping slave girls, maintaining a gluttonous lifestyle, and watching others suffer a slow, terrifying death.   

  

9.) LIM ARYONG

 

I quite enjoy South Korea’s My Wife Is a Gangsterand My Wife Is a Gangster 3 (didn’t see the second one).  The movies aren’t really connected but do share the same premise: a romantic comedy that features a badass female mob boss.  Between the two movies’ respective protagonists, I’d go for MWIaG 3’s Lim Aryong than MWIaG’s Eun-jin.  MWIaG 3 having a better story (for me) helps.  The whole language barrier that Lim Aryong had to undergo also added more dynamic to her character and provided more memorable, funnier character moments.  Actress Shu Qi dictated amazing strength, presence, and grace when portraying her character and executing her action scenes that I can’t help but be quite dazzled.    

     

8.) YAMAGUCHI “YANKUMI” KUMIKO

Though she’s a Yakuza Ojou (boss/princess), Yankumi is more excited to be a teacher.  She carefully keeps her identity secret from her students and co-teachers, and will only display her proficiency in combat whenever her students are in trouble. 

Yankumi is actually one of my most favorite female characters in fiction.  However, though her Yakuza background helps in making her an interesting character, she’s actually not much of a mob boss, so she’s not rated any higher.

7.) VICIOUS

Vicious is the main antagonist of Cowboy Bebop.  At first, he was a mere foot soldier for the Red Dragon syndicate, but he overthrew its leadership to become its boss.  If his rival, Spike, is a great gunslinger, he, on the other hand, is an incredible swordsman (though he didn’t make my list on fictional swordsmen).  He is merciless and ambitious, and won’t hesitate to kill whoever is on his way.  

    

6.) THE VENTRILOQUIST & SCARFACE

Oswald Cobblepot a.k.a. the Penguin is the more popular Batman-villain mob boss, but I find Arnold Wesker a.k.a. the Ventriloquist and his puppet/alter ego, Scarface, significantly more fascinating.  Suffering from schizophrenia and multiple personality disorder, the usual timid Wesker projects his sociopathic, cunning, and criminal personality to Scarface, his gangster puppet.  However, for Wesker, he delusionally considers himself as a mere docile minion who has no choice but to obey Scarface’s biddings.  The Ventriloquist/Scarface is definitely one of Batman’s most underrated and most unique villains.    

    

5.) TSUNAYOSHI SAWADA

Tsunayoshi Sawada, or Tsuna for short, is the main protagonist of the delightfully wacky mafia-themed manga/anime, Katekyo! Hitman Reborn.  Despite being just a junior high student, Tsuna found himself the rightful tenth boss of the most powerful mafia famiglia in the world, the Vongola Famiglia.  He is understandably unwilling to have anything to do with the mafia, but he is forced to embrace the role of the Vongola Tenth in order to protect his friends and the world.

Tsuna started off as cowardly, inept, and clumsy.  But with the guidance and training of his tutor, Reborn (a legendary hitman that has been mysteriously transformed into a baby), as well as the mafia conflicts that he’s thrown in because of his Vongola title, Tsuna is developed into becoming an accomplished mafia boss and a courageous, strong-willed individual. 

4.) THE KINGPIN

In the Marvel Universe, Wilson Fisk a.k.a. the Kingpin is considered to be the most powerful crime boss of New York City.  For most of Fisk’s character history, he is seen as a high-profile public figure whose criminal nature was known to all; however, he was so efficiently careful in making sure that none of his criminal enterprises could be traced to him that the law found it impossible to send him to prison (at the present, however, he’s no longer concerned in being subtle, and is even a wanted fugitive, after the Superior Spider-Man outed him).  His appearance is that of a “fat man”, but his bulk is actually mostly muscle instead of lard.  That’s why he’s not only a criminal mastermind but is also very dangerous to engage in physical combat.       

3.) BALALAIKA

In an anime such as Black Lagoon that is full of badass characters, I find Balalaika as the most awesomely badass.  Her real name is Sofiya Pavlovena but no one dares to utter it in her presence.  She is the boss of Hotel Moscow, the Russian mafia based on Roanapur (a fictional city found in southeast Thailand that serves as a criminal hub) and one of the regular clients of the Lagoon Company (the anime’s main protagonists, a merceneray/pirate/smuggling firm). 

A former Army captain of the elite Vozdushno-Desantnye Vojska (the Russian Airborne Troops), Balalaika proved to be a tough combatant and a brilliant strategist during the hellish Soviet War in Afghanistan, earning the deepest respect and fiercest loyalty of his troops.  When she became a mafia boss, these same soldiers became her subordinates and enforcers in Hotel Moscow.  Thus, being made up of former elite soldiers, Hotel Moscow operates with efficient military precision and discipline, making them the strongest and most successful crime organization in the region.    

2.) & 1.) MICHAEL & VITO CORLEONE

The Godfather and The Godfather Part II (I don’t hate the third installment as much as most, but I have to admit that it was significantly inferior) are not only two of the greatest movies of all time, but they also served as the ultimate depiction of mob culture (in fact, I read once that not only did its romanticized depiction shape our pop culture awareness of mob culture, but it also compelled real-life mobsters – who were merely barbaric thugs at that point – to imitate the stylishness and class portrayed in the films).  Thus, it’s not a surprise that the definitive mob bosses in fiction are the titular Godfathers – Vito Corleone and, his son and successor, Michael Corleone – and the holders of the top two spots in this list.

Both are smart, calculating, and intimidating dons.  Both are vengeful and ruthless when necessary.  Both love their family and value loyalty and respect greatly.  Both have strong charisma.  Both are awesome.  But Vito edges Michael a bit in my eyes.  Al Pacino’s portrayal of Michael was terrific, but Marlon Brando’s portrayal of Vito was incredibly magnetic.  Moreover, Vito’s character development during his younger years (as portrayed by Robert De Niro) was a bit more compelling.

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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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Top 10 (Non-Western) Gunslingers in Fiction

I already made a list out of my favorite Western gunslingers in fiction (check it out).  This list is now exclusively made of fictional gunslingers that are not cowboys or gunfighters functioning in a Western setting.  However, it’s fine if these characters have some subtle references to or took some inspiration from the “Western cowboy” trope – they will still be considered for this list if so.  To qualify as a “gunslinger”, the character’s trademark weapons should be handguns, so anyone who regularly wields a weapon aside from handguns is disqualified for consideration.     

10.) HELLBOY

 

Hellboy, whose real name is Anung Un Rama (which means “and upon his brow is set a crown of flame”), is a demon that was summoned from Hell when he was still a baby by Nazi occultists.  He was rescued by the Allied forces and Prof. Trevor Bruttenholm, who took it up for himself to raise him as his own son.  Thus, Hellboy would grow up like a normal human, familiar with and engaging in human culture and practices.  He would also develop a knack for humor, gab, and sarcasm.  

Hellboy joins the organization founded by Prof. Bruttenholm – the Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense (BPRD) – and uses his innate demonic strengths to fight in humanity’s behalf against occult threats.  Though he carries a variety of paraphernalia to combat supernatural evil forces, his primary weapon of choice is a large-ass revolver named “Good Samaritan.”  However, he’s only number ten in this list because he himself admits that he is a lousy shot and prefers to fight close-range.  

Ron Perlman killed it when he portrayed Hellboy in the film adaptation.   

9.) JUDGE DREDD

This character originally appeared in comics, but was also given a terrific live-action portrayal by Karl Urban in an underrated film adaptation back in 2012 (let’s pretend the one starring Stallone never happened).  In a dystopian future, Dredd is a “Street Judge” – a law enforcement officer who is literally a police, judge, jury, and executioner rolled into one.   Hence, once he apprehends a criminal, he can immediately convict and sentence him, and carry out the appropriate execution when necessary.  Being a Street Judge, Dredd possesses the standard issue “Lawgiver pistol” – which is designed to be exclusively handled by him and has six kinds of ammo.        

8.) THE PHANTOM

 

“The Phantom” is a masked crime-fighter persona that has been passed from father to son.  Because of this, the Phantom is thought of by people as immortal and has been given nicknames like “The Ghost Who Walks.”  The current Phantom, who is  being featured in the popular comic strips, is Kit Walker, the 21^st Phantom in line.  He has no superpowers, but uses his skills, wits, and his reputation as a “ghost” to fight crime.  The Phantom doesn’t particularly seek criminals and then shoot them, often choosing to beat them up instead.  But he will use his two M1911 pistols when the occasion calls for it. 

7.) DAISUKE JIGEN

Jigen is a character from the popular manga/anime series Lupin III.   Jigen is often by Lupin’s side when he’s on a heist.  Though his primary function in Lupin’s crew is that of a “trigger man”, he also fulfills duties as Lupin’s aide-de-camp or unofficial “number two.”   He is adept in a variety of firearms, but his preference is that of a Smith & Wesson Model 19 revolver.   He possesses amazing quickness and accuracy as a shooter, and is known to use the notch of his fedora to improve his aim.      

6.) THE SHADOW

The Shadow originated from the pulp era of comics and novels, and is just one of several Zorro-inspired “wealthy gentleman by day, masked crime-fighter by night” adventure heroes that emerged during that time (one other example of which is Batman).   My first encounter with the character was in the 1994 film starring Alec Baldwin.  I was impressed by how “unique” of a superhero he was – particularly, how he will laugh maniacally like a villain to intimidate his opponents.  He possesses psychic powers and can also make himself invisible.  But even with these superpowers, the Shadow still arms himself with a pair of pistols.

5.) JOHN PRESTON

What if you can mix close-combat martial arts with gun-slinging?  That is what the movie Equilibrium explored with “Gun Kata”, a fictional fighting style that I adore.  John Preston (played by Christian Bale) is the main protagonist of the movie.  And in this movie’s universe, he is considered as one of the greatest, if not the greatest, Gun Kata fighters there are.  Equilibrium is a must-watch, not necessarily due to its story, but because of John Preston’s awesome close-combat gunfights.   

4.) SPIKE SPIEGEL

I admit that when I wrote my list on fictional Western cowboys/gunfighters, I forgot about Spike.  He would have qualified for that list since Cowboy Bebop is a “space western” and Spike is even referenced as a “space cowboy.”  So I intend to make it right with Spike, and make a little exception for him here (besides, I also established in the introduction that it’s acceptable if the character has “some subtle references to or took some inspiration from the ‘Western cowboy’ trope.”  Moreover, Spike isn’t really a complete “cowboy/gunfighter character in a Western setting”).  

Spike used to work for the Red Dragon Syndicate, but after faking his death so he can leave the syndicate, he found himself working as a bounty hunter with former cop Jet Black.  Spike shows proficiency in several skills, including martial arts, sleight of hand, piloting, and – of course – shooting.  Spike’s trademark gun is a Jericho 941.      

3.) ALUCARD

This reinvention of Dracula is my choice for the greatest “vampire hunter” character in fiction (read my “vampire hunters” list for a more detailed analysis of the character).  He can easily tear apart his opponents by means of his viciously powerful vampire powers, but favors engaging in battle with a pair of large, badass handguns:   the Hellsing ARMS .454 Casull Auto (or “The Casull” for short) and the Hellsing ARMS 13 mm Auto Anti-Freak Combat Pistol, Jackal (or “The Jackal” for short).  The Joker-like, “badass gunslinger” persona is what initially drew me to this character. 

2.) VASH THE STAMPEDE

Vash is one of the coolest anime characters ever.  As what I had written about him in the past:

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.

Awesome dude.

1.) GENJO SANZO

I’ve been an anime fan for many years now, and Genjo Sanzo has remained as my most favorite anime character all this time.  A large part of it is because of the unparalleled depth and charisma of this gunslinging monk.  After being crowned as the 31^stSanzo and tasked to travel to the West to recover his late master’s Holy Sutra, he was led to a weapons room to arm himself for his mission.  Without any further thought, he proceeded to make a sole pick: a “banishing gun” – a five-shot Smith & Wesson revolver.   However, he was not only a gunslinger by his choice of weapon.  He truly embodied the personality of a gunslinger – terse but crusty; lonely; dogged; an I-don’t-give-a-damn attitude; and never backs down from a necessary challenge, no matter how formidable and grim it is.

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