Top 10 TV Characters

As years pass by, the TV series environment has been significantly enriching fiction and pop culture.  And from this rich (rich in quantity at least, since though there are plenty of awesome TV series, but by average, TV series don’t have first-rate quality) assortment of TV series came plenty of interesting fictional characters who are played by very talented actors.  Here, in this top 10, I list my favorites…

Oh, BTW, a Doctor (there are plenty of reincarnations of the Doctor character) from the very successful and long-lived TV series “Dr. Who” greatly deserves a spot in a list of TV series characters.  Unfortunately, “Dr. Who” was a TV series I wasn’t able to follow.  Heck, I even haven’t watched a single episode of “Dr. Who” yet.  Aside from the Doctor, there could be other great characters that I haven’t encountered, so sorry for the snubs on this list.  Aside from that, I also did not add characters from animated TV series.  Since if I did, they would probably occupy 6 to 7 spots in the list. 

Before we start with number 10, let me first enumerate the honorable mentions: Hercules (from “Hercules: the Legendary Journeys”), Xena, Lex Luthor (from “Smallville”), Dexter Morgan (a very fascinating character, but my real exposure to him was through the books), Nikita, Quark (from “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine”), Scully & Mulder, Green Hornet, Kato (amazingly played by Bruce Lee), Batman (the goofy, but still awesome, version of the caped crusader as played by Adam West), Remington Steele, Spock (my most favorite Star Trek character, actually, but I have not watched the original “Star Trek” TV series at all.  Got to be fond of Spock through the movies and the books.  That is why he never made the list, but, still, he is worth giving an honorable mention), John Crichton (from “Farscape”), Aeryn Sun (from “Farscape”), Malcolm “Mal” Reynolds (from “Firefly”), Duncan MaCleod (“The Highlander”), Spike (from “Buffy the Vampire Slayer”), Carlton Lassiter (from “Psych”), Shawn Spencer (main hero of “Psych”, number 11 in this list if this is a top 11 list, and one of the greatest detectives in fiction). 

10.) MR. BEAN

  

Now, having watched episodes of “Mr. Bean” countless times over, the show and character don’t give me even a chuckle. However, it’s a different story during the first few times I’ve watched the show back in the 90’s.  I can’t remember any other character that made me laugh so hard like Mr. Bean.  His outrageousness, clumsiness, unique mix of stupidity and ingenuity, and silly facial expressions and mannerisms were effective elements on giving me the greatest laughs I’ve ever had in my TV watching.      

9.) KUMIKU “YANKUMI” YAMAGUCHI

The only character in this list from a non-American TV show.  The Yankumi in the Gokusen anime wasn’t particularly striking.  In the live action however, the Yankumi was hot!  And through live action, the Yankumi character is more perfectly portrayed by Yukie Nakama.  Hidden behind the clumsy, cute, harmless appearance is one badass girl.  A fresh university graduate hired to teach (or at least watch over) a section full of delinquent and unruly high school seniors, she enthusiastically desires to improve her students.  And through her unconventional ways of teaching, sincerity, and willingness to stand up and fight for her students, she gains their trust and respect, encouraging them to indeed improve with their studies and attitude.  She possesses great fighting skills, being secretly a yakuza family leader.  However, she would only display her toughness and fighting skills when saving or protecting her dear students, choosing to appear harmless and slow in normal circumstances in front of others.

 

8.) FONZIE

His real name is Arthur Herbert Fonzarelli. But that doesn’t matter.  Because to everyone, he’s “Fonzie” or “The Fonz” or just “Fonz”.  That’s a kickass nickname.  Fonz is the epitome of the suave, aloof way of being kickass, badass.  He’s a smooth talker, tough fighter, street smart, and always successful with the ladies.  He was a high school dropout (though he would eventually graduate by taking night high classes) and has a background as a delinquent, but still, he has his principles and is loyal to his friends.  He always comes out on top on fight, beating even if opponents are bigger or greatly outnumber him.  More amusing is when he uses his smooth talking in making opponents silly.  He was at first just a secondary character in the series “Happy Days”.  But he’s just too awesome that he eventually became the lead since he had become more popular than the main character, Richie.  Fonzie is a TV icon, while I can’t even remember the names and most of the faces of the rest of the characters in “Happy Days” without looking them up (I had to look up Richie when I had to mention the name earlier).    

7.) ANGEL

Angel was Buffy’s running boyfriend in “Buffy the Vampire Slayer”, and then they broke up, a spin-off series was made for him, he moved to Los Angeles and started a private investigation agency.  Angel is one of the best vampire characters out there.  After being cursed by gypsies by giving him a soul, Angel became unique from other vampires, fighting evil instead of causing it (though, there are also times where his evil persona, Angelus, would come out).  Being a “vampire with a soul”, his humanity gives him awkwardness and conscience.  The character has elements of the stereotypical redemption-seeking character, but this factor greatly adds to his character.  Through the two TV series, he transitioned from a reluctant hero seeking his purpose to a Batman-like altruistic crusader, as he struggles with his inner demons, and finding equilibrium between his humanity and vampire nature.  And as conclusion to this character analysis… yes, though I also like Spike, I, however, think that Angel is a greatly better character than Spike.  There.     

6.) ANGUS MACGYVER

I have to admit that when I’ve written my top 10 list on fictional spooks, I forgot about MacGyver.  If I didn’t, he would probably make it to number 5 in that list (and kicking Paul Sheperdson out of the list).  MacGyver is one of the most iconic characters in TV, and one of the most unique fictional characters I’ve encountered.   MacGyver is extensively talented and intelligent.  He prefers non-violent approach in solving conflicts, and refuses to use a gun.  Rather, he prefers to carry a Swiss Army knife and duct tape in his missions.  Being a scientist, his trademark skill is his quick thinking in improvising plans and tools from the things he can get his hands on on a given moment.  Because of this, the term “MacGyver” was included into colloquial American English lexicon, which means creating a solution to a problem through simple yet extremely clever means using available resources.           

5.) NATHAN “NATE” FORD

Ford is the brains of the 5-man “Leverage” team – made up of very talented thieves and con men – who steal from the rich and powerful who commit injustice against ordinary people, sabotaging their operations or/and getting them caught by the authorities along the way.  Every member of the team is impressive with his or her own specific skillset – from hacking to grifting – but Nate Ford impresses me most.  As the undisputed leader (being the brains), Nate masterminds their operations.  He is a brilliant strategist and planner.  He claims to have a Plan A to Plan Z (I’m not sure if it was Z or some other letter) of everything.  Seeing him at work – his plans working out in the end – is quite enjoyable.

4.) THE ROCK

He is arguably the best wrestler ever.  He’s both incredibly entertaining with the mic and inside the ring. He is definitely in a whole level on his own, and has greatly contributed success to the sports entertainment industry (which is, if you think about it, is just like a TV series).  I already discussed his greatness in my top10 pro-wrestlers list. 

3.) BUFFY SUMMERS

Being the Slayer, Buffy has superhuman speed, agility, and strength, an enhanced intuition, and a healing factor.  Also, through training, she is adept in fighting and wielding weaponry.  Buffy is your typical hot, strong heroine skilled in combat, the proven formula for success in making female characters outstanding and popular to (especially male) audience.  However, though Buffy belongs to such cliche of female characters, she maintains a charm that makes her stand out significantly.  Aside from the already mentioned fighting skills, Buffy also possesses a gift of gab, which she uses in making fun or taunting her opponents, working to her advantage.  With the way she uses sarcasms and puns in her fights, and the great confidence she displays when standing against opponents – regardless of being more powerful than her or weaker – she reminds me of the same attitude Spider-Man (being my most favorite comic bookcharacter) has when he fights, and this is probably one of the major reasons why I started liking Buffy.  Buffy, for me, is the awesomest female character ever created in fiction.    

2.) SHERLOCK HOLMES

In the TV show “Sherlock”, the Victorian story of Sherlock Holmes is brought into a modern setting.   The show perfectly reinterpreted how Holmes would have behaved and fared in present times.   So far, the only thing lacking with the character is the proficiency in fighting.  Though there are some scenes where Sherlock fought, he won using his wits rather than displaying some boxing and bartitisu skills which the original character is known to have.   Other than that, this TV’s Sherlock Holmes is just perfect.   The original literary Holmes being my choice for the greatest detective in fiction, this modernized counterpart portrayed for TV easily gets a high spot on this list.  Hmmm, in fact, the top spot goes to another Sherlock Holmes re-interpretation…    

1.) DR. GREGORY HOUSE

For any fan of Holmes and House, it’s quite obvious that the House character is a reinvention of Sherlock Holmes.  Both of them are detached, intelligent, logical, highly observant, and extremely rational.  Both of them can “read” people and only take cases that of interest to them (unusual and difficult).  Both of them are talented musicians.  Both of them struggled with drug abuse.   Both of them have the same home address – 221B Baker Street.  And their bestfriends have J.W. as initials.  House is Holmes if Holmes has chosen to use his mental powers on tackling medical mysteries instead of solving crime.  Still, though House’s character structure has Holmes as basis, but as a final product, House is a one of kind fictional character.  He is described by his bestfriend Wilson as having a Rubik’s complex – having a great obsession to solve a puzzle.  Another description Wilson has of House is being a “reality junkie”.  House is very witty and sarcastic, and would nearly always win any verbal sparring.  His knowledge of psychology, sharp observational skills, and quick logical mind allow him to accurately decode people’s secrets and histories and determine their personalities and motivations – which enable him to mock their weaknesses or/and manipulate them to do something he wants them to do.  He is very cynical and tactless, thus making him at odds with almost every one.  House is also isn’t afraid to take risks, with no fear of consequences or authority.   He has a rich amount of interests – from monster trucks to music – and talents, like speaking multiple languages fluently.  He also enjoys betting against others (which he often wins) and playing practical jokes.  Indeed, House is a very deep and interesting character, not only because of his brilliant medical skills and genius mind, but also because of his social and personal flaws.  Watching him on TV is a lot of fun.             

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Chain of Thoughts On the Upcoming Avengers Movie

→ Based on the trailers, the upcoming Avengers movie is going to be way beyond epic.  Marvel Films has brilliantly played their cards in setting up this movie.  By establishing a Marvel Cinematic Universe – having a film for each major Avenger – there is no need for introduction or backgrounds of characters and setting, thus, the movie can quickly move on with the story.  

→ My only minor beef about the movie is its roster.  Why Black Widow and Hawkeye instead of Ant/Giant Man (Hank Pym) and Wasp (Janet Van Dyne)?  This husband and wife superhero tandem was among the founding members, so why give their roster slots to secondary Avengers? 

They don’t even need to star on a film of their own, I (and other fans, I’m sure) would settle with cameos on the other Avenger heroes’ films like what was done with Hawkeye and Black Widow.  For years prior production of this film, I maintain the opinion that if there’s going to be an Avenger film with a small roster size, then the film should settle with the founding members plus Captain America.  And up to this day – and, I think, even when I finally have watched the movie – I will have this opinion that it’s mandatory to have them.   

→ The only way I can see for a line-up without Mr. and Mrs. Hank Pym to be justified is if it has several secondary Avengers to complement the main Avengers (Hulk, Cap, Thor, Iron Man).  Instead of just Hawkeye and Black Widow, there should be also the likes of Falcon, Spider-Woman, Ms. Marvel, Wonder Man, the Vision, Black Panther, and maybe a mutant or two (preferably Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch) in the roster. 

→ And, of course, the most epic Avengers roster would have to be made up of the present Avengers in the comics… 

In my opinion, this is the most interesting Avengers roster ever.  Before the 2000’s, for most of the Avengers’ comic book run, Spider-Man wasn’t a member (he has been given reserve status though).  Now, Spider-Man is a prominent Avenger.  Well known characters like Daredevil, Dr. Strange, Iron Fist, Luke Cage, Captain Britain, and Shang-Chi are now members.   Now, Beast is not the only one who is both an Avenger and an X-Man as Wolverine and Storm became members.  Fantastic Four’s Thing is a member.  21st century created characters like Red Hulk are members.  Heck, even Venom (with Flash Thompson as host) is a member.            

Before, though I’m a Marvelite more than a DC fan, I preferred the Justice League over the Avengers.  The Justice League featured all of DC’s well known and important heroes.  This can’t be said with the then Avengers line-up; though the roster had Captain America, Iron Man, and Thor, it didn’t have Spider-Man, Dr. Strange, Daredevil, Luke Cage, and Wolverine.  Now, I can’t say that anymore.  The Avengers’ current roster is more “All-Star” and more interesting than Justice League’s.  

So if this present Avengers roster made it to the film, the Avengers movie would become – hands down –  the greatest superhero movie of all time.  Merely because of such packed roster.  It’s too late now for the movie, but how about for the sequel?  Very improbable, but, hey, I can dream. 

Seriously, think of it: Tobey Maguire Spider-Man, Ben Afleck Daredevil (even if that movie was mediocre), and Hugh Jackman Wolverine being part of the Avengers movie’s roster?!  It would be unimaginably more explosive than it already is! 

→ One of the reasons I want Spider-Man in the Avengers movie is for him with his wit to provide the epic wisecracks…

Then I remembered that the Robert Downey, Jr. Iron Man provides the wisecracks already.  And it would be redundant (though any bantering between the two characters could have been extremely hilarious). In my opinion, the movie Iron Man is better than his comic book counterpart.  Downey, Jr. made the character overflow with charm and wit.  I think because of Downey, Jr., the character has become a bigger and more popular icon.  Remember that prior the Iron Man movie, Iron Man is the most despised superhero out there because of the Civil War storyline.  There was a real threat that the movie will lose some success (and money) because of the character’s unpopularity.  But all the animosity towards the character disappeared after the movie.  All thanks to Downey, Jr.’s characterization, the Iron Man character was sent to a whole new level in pop culture consciousness.            

→ The most intriguing part for me about the movie is how the Avengers will defeat Loki and his alien(?) minions (still undetermined if they’re Skrulls or whatever they are supposed to be).  The movie’s line-up is not the kind that can go up against such scale.  This is not the Avengers’ most powerful or equipped line-up.  Fighting against an alien invasion would make more sense if there are dozens of Avengers in it.  But the film’s roster features only six members.  And as the trailers implied, they simply seem to be only making a “last stand against their opponents” kind of thing.  It’s pretty much guaranteed that this movie will have a good ending (would not make sense if it doesn’t have one) – the good guys beating the bad guys in the end.  So it’s interesting to see how this will come about.  If it’s going to be through some Deus Ex Machina, I hope it’s an interesting one and not merely for the sake of having a Deus Ex Machina to bail the Avengers out.  My theory (and, in my opinion, the best solution): more heroes will join the fight, who will be eventually invited to join the Avengers at movie’s end.         

Nonetheless, it’s going to be one epic “last stand” (if it’s one) battle scene.  Tony Stark’s quote (from the trailer) greatly hyped me up.  “If we can’t protect the Earth, then we will damn sure avenge it.”   

→ “The Avengers” will assemble at Philippine theaters on April 25.  But I'll probably watch it on the 28th.  

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A Short (but Meaty) Reflection This Holy Week

“Nails didn’t hold God to the cross. Love did.” – Max Lucado (When God Whispers Your Name)

This Holy Week, it’s that time of year again that we significantly commemorate Jesus Christ’s death on the cross (and his eventual resurrection, of course).  Whenever I think deeply of the awesomeness of God’s love and grace, it overwhelms me.  

Ponder this:  this great and glorious God – the Creator who doesn’t owe anything to his Creation – would choose to humble himself, incarnate himself to become human, to endure extreme humiliation and suffering and death, so that He can ensure the salvation of His children.  

His being God won’t be lessened if he doesn’t do it; God will remain a glorious and happy God no matter what.  He wasn’t obliged to do it.  But, still, he did it.  That’s how deep God’s love is.         

How much of a big deal is that? That God would bother to go through all of this to save a wretched, pathetic, unlovable, unworthy sinner like me?  That’s extremely outrageous!  But that’s the truth.  

If that fact won’t blow you away, nothing can.  

And for this, I’m eternally grateful to Jesus Christ.  

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Thoughts on Magnum

I finally tasted Magnum.  Thrice already in fact, as of this review.  Twice with Almond and once with Classic (Almond >>> Classic).  My review:

I got curious with Magnum because of how it went trending in my Facebook wall.   Plenty of talk on how awesome Magnum is.  People proudly upload pictures of themselves eating Magnum.  They boast on their status updates whenever they eat one.  Even to the extent on mentioning the amount, that they had shelved 50 pesos for it.  It’s a new fad!

Questions flooded in my mind.  Why is this stuff not advertized on TV or posters at all (haven’t seen yet if there are any)?  Is this some sort of marketing experiment, by relying on some sort of viral “Internet word of mouth” strategy to create its popularity? Is this merely a meme, with all the picture taking done with it?  I did some researching and found that prior to being launched in the Philippines, Magnum is quite a popular brand around the world.  All this made me more curious.    

So I decided to try it.  Not to join the “in” crowd, but because all the hype about Magnum being ridiculously delicious was too much.  I wanted to have the same experience of ice cream ecstasy as what others had implied when they tasted it.  And that was what I was expecting.         

I expected too much.  It’s definitely a very delicious ice cream, but I was expecting to get my mind and taste buds blown away by it.  However, the hype was not equal to the actual.  I also find 50 pesos too much for it, though many will probably disagree with me on this (Any “Belgian chocolates are expensive, you big ignoramus!” thrown at me will be responded with the “Whatever” fingers from me).  But, consider this, I tried this Korean melon flavored green ice-cream bar worth 40 pesos, and I find the price just right for the quality of that ice cream.

Magnum, though great as its quality is, for me, should only be in the 30 to 40 pesos range.  I could be wrong.  But that’s just my opinion. 

Overall assessment:  slightly overpriced, greatly overhyped, but not overly overrated.  (I hope I made sense with that one.)    

To be fair, I haven’t tried the Chocolate Truffles Magnum yet.  Could it be possible that this is what the Magnum hype is mostly about?

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Top 10 Fictional Spooks

For the sake of those who aren’t familiar with the term, “spook” is a slang that pertains to a spy, secret agent, or any operative of the intelligence/espionage/black ops community.  In fiction, just like detectives, spooks are heavily romanticized.  They seem to have exciting and secretive everyday lives.  Sometimes, they have double lives – their friends and family don’t know what they really do as a living.  They can coolly think and act under intense pressure.  They can endure horrific tortures.  They are one-man armies, extremely proficient in weaponry and close combat.  They enjoy the use of high-tech gadgets in their trades.  Fiction presented them as the “best of the best” people having the most badass and kickass jobs in the world.  Among these cool spies in fiction, here are my ten picks…

10.) PAUL SHEPHERDSON a.k.a. CASSIUS

When I was drafting this list, the tenth spot was meant for Evelyn Salt (the Angelina Jolie-portrayed sleeper agent in the movie “Salt”).  And then I saw the movie “The Double”.  In that movie, Richard Geere plays retired CIA operative Paul Shepherdson.  Shepherdson was a legend in the Company, making his reputation by taking down Cassius Seven – an infamous and very deadly Soviet assassin squad trained and led by a faceless man codenamed “Cassius”.  When an assassination of a US senator was committed a la Cassius, he was brought out of retirement to help out in capturing the assassin who was presumed to be Cassius.  However, Shepherdson refused to acknowledge that it was Cassius, insisting that Cassius was dead and that the assassin was a copycat.  Later on, in a twist revealed early on the movie, we learned that Shepherdson was actually “Cassius” and had been a double agent while working for the Company.  However, he decided to turn against his Soviet comrades after they decided to kill the family that Cassius secretly started (he fell in love).  Thus, his last kills as “Cassius” were on those involved with the killing of his family (and, probably, those who know his true identity).  “The Double” might be a mediocre movie at most, but I really liked Geere’s character here.  I like the character’s background and buildup (though, I had to agree with most critics’ observations, that the twist’s revelation was early).  I like how he adopted his fabricated Paul Shepherdson identity to become his actual life, and then using this identity to kill two birds with one stone: establishing the Shepherdson identity’s authenticity and legend and exacting and executing revenge.  The best thing about this character is his main method of killing, he has a wire hidden in his watch which he can quickly pull out to garrote his targets swiftly.  He can do it in such fast fluid motion that he can even kill someone in broad daylight on a sidewalk without anyone noticing, his target just falls to the ground with throat already slit.   

9.) NATASHA ROMANOVA a.k.a. BLACK WIDOW

Natalia "Natasha" Alianovna Romanova, a.k.a. Black Widow was a Soviet agent but defected and joined the Avengers and S.H.I.E.L.D.  Though she is not my most favorite superheroine, I find her the most interesting among “femme fatale” comic book superheroines.  She is a graceful and athletic combatant, having the skills of a gymnast and ballerina along with her extensive martial arts knowledge.  Her main weapons are pistols and bracelet-gadgets, which fires “Widow’s Bite” (an electro-static energy blast), “Widow’s Kiss” (knockout gas), “Widow’s Line” (grappling hooks with lines), and others.  She also has micro-suction caps in her gloves’ fingers and boots that allow her to stick on walls and ceiling a la Spider-Man.  Black Widow is a real hottie, and being played by Scarlett Johansson in the big screen increases this reputation.               

8.) SOLID SNAKE 

Solid Snake is the video game icon from the stealth game “Metal Gear”.  He is described as a combination of spy, special operations soldier and mercenary commando of FOXHOUND (a fictional black ops and espionage unit).  By this description alone, we can presume that Snake is one hell of a badass and highly-skilled spook.  The main gameplay of “Metal Gear”, being a stealth game, is to creep on opponents and take them out quietly.  This had been Snake’s bread and butter for most of the game and is his main charm.  His kickass costume is a bonus point, too.      

7.) JOHN CLARK

John Clark is one of the main characters in Tom Clancy’s “Ryanverse” (Jack Ryan books).  Clark is a former Navy Seal and was a Vietnam veteran.  After his stint from the military, he was hired by the CIA to be an operative and would eventually become one of the best in the business.  Jack Ryan trusts John Clark so much that whenever there are operations his hands are directly involved in, his first choice to send is John Clark, along with his protégé and eventual son-in-law Domingo “Ding” Chavez, to ensure success.  Clark has been both decorated by the military and by Langley, with plenty of successes under his belt.  He’s an excellent field operative, and his experiences allow him to be smart and knowledgeable on what to do in given situations.  Though they both have principles, John Clark is grittier and more ready to “break the rules” than Jack Ryan.  Tom Clancy even stated that John Clark is the “dark side” of the Jack Ryan.  He was played by Willem Dafoe in the “Clear and Present Danger” movie.               

6.) NICK FURY 

The first time I encountered the term “super-spy” was with Nick Fury.  He is best known as having been the leader of Strategic Hazard Intervention Espionage Logistics Directorate or S.H.I.E.L.D, Marvel Universe’s fictional super espionage agency.  He was a WWII war hero, but due to a medication called Infinity Formula, his aging halted.  Thus, he can still function in a high level even though he’s about a century old.  Fury is in this list because he is one of the premier leader figures in the superhero community (in Marvel Comics) even though, technically, he’s not a superhero.  Oh, also, again, “super-spy”. ‘Nuff said.             

5.) BRYAN MILLS     

Liam Neeson has a knack on playing interesting and badass characters, or, at least, picking such roles.  One of Neeson’s best characters is Bryan Mills, the protagonist in “Taken”.  Bryan Mills decided to retire from being a CIA field operative to build a closer relationship with his teenage daughter, Kim.  When Kim went on an unchaperoned trip with a friend to France to follow a tour of the band U2, they were targeted by kidnappers who sell girls to a sex slave ring.  While Kim was talking to the phone with her father, the kidnappers broke in the house she and her friend were staying.  Kim panicked, but Bryan coolly gave her instructions on what to do while recording the conversation to gather as much data as possible so it will be easier for him to come after them and rescue Kim.  After Kim was abducted, one of the kidnappers picked up the cell phone, to whom Bryan Mills delivered this memorable badass line which summarized the badassery of the character: “I don’t know who you are. I don’t know what you want. If you are looking for ransom, I can tell you I don’t have money. But what I do have are a very particular set of skills; skills I have acquired over a very long career. Skills that make me a nightmare for people like you. If you let my daughter go now, that’ll be the end of it. I will not look for you, I will not pursue you. But if you don’t, I will look for you, I will find you, and I will kill you.” 

4.) JASON BOURNE 

I’ve never read the books yet, but have watched the Bourne Trilogy.  I don’t know if which Jason Bourne is better, the movie’s or the book’s.  Nonetheless, I found the movie Jason Bourne awesome enough for this spot.  The amnesiac assassin with the cool lethal fighting skills, know-how, field craft, and rich trade skills is – hands down – among the top fictional spooks ever created.  Even if the character is played by a non-badass dude like Matt Damon in the movie, the badassery and coolness of the character overflows.  

3.) SHELDON SANDS 

Portrayed by the talented actor Johnny Depp in the movie “Once Upon A Time in Mexico”, Jeffrey Sands is a CIA agent in Mexico.  He is portrayed as having the wit and charm that goes with the typical coldness of a spook.  He can switch from charming to ruthless as situation demands, and can kill without hesitation.  He is a brilliant planner and manipulator.  But the most special thing about him is his general coolness and detachment, which is not dependent on a situation but it’s actually his usual character.  Maybe he has this kind of coolness and detachment because of being a borderline sociopath.  This characteristic of his was perfectly displayed when the bad guys gorged out his eyes, living him blind.  But Sands never lost a beat.  Usually, the loss of a body part or function – especially the eyes and sight – will depress somebody.  But not Sands.  He maintained his usual demeanor.  He never lost his cool along with his eyes.  It’s as if losing his eyesight was merely a minor annoyance to him.  Such display of badass coolness puts him at this high spot on this list.         

2.) JOHN “JACK” RYAN

Jack Ryan is the hero of several popular novels by Tom Clancy.  As a contrast with John Clark (discussed earlier in this list) and all of the other spooks in this list, Jack Ryan is a “desk job” spook rather than a hands-on field operative (though he had experienced and was successful in some important field work, too).  He’s very smart and vey accomplished and successful in his life.  After graduating from college with a degree in economics (and minoring in history), he joined the Marines but left after an injury.  He would make his fortune in the stock market, earn a doctorate, and would become a historian and professor in a naval academy.  He was even knighted after saving the Prince of Wales and his family from assassins.  He would mightily impress the Deputy Director – Intelligence (DDI) of the CIA after he did some consultancy for the Company, and eventually, he would be recruited.  He would prove to be a very sharp and intelligent analyst for the Company and his career rise was swift.  As a spook, he would be instrumental in several successful operations and missions including major coups against the Soviet Union.  He would eventually become the Deputy Director of Central Intelligence (DDCI) of CIA.  Then, he became the National Security Advisor after retiring from the CIA.  Finally, he would become Vice-President, but only for a short while, since he would immediately become the President of the United States just after being sworn as Vice-President due to the death of the incumbent president.  He would serve a second term afterwards.  On the big screen, Jack Ryan has been played by Alec Baldwin, Harrison Ford, and Ben Affleck.                       

1.) JAMES BOND (007)

Was there any doubt?  This is a no-brainer.  No other fictional spook has come close of being as iconic as 007.  There are different characterizations of 007.  Aside from being played by different actors, there are also different authors who wrote Bond stories aside from the creator Ian Fleming.  Thus, each interpretation of Bond by the various actors and authors adds different facets to the character.  My favorite characterizations are of Pierce Brosnan and, of course, the original Bond in Ian Fleming’s novels.  In Fleming’s novels, being the original, the core of most of the 007 identity – the cold, womanizing, pleasure loving, talented, and effective spook – is established by this characterization of Bond.  Moreover, the book Bond is grittier and more prone to commit mistakes than the movie interpretation, making him more human and easier for the audience/readers to like and feel a connection with the character.  As for movie Bonds, for me, the best is Pierce Brosnan.  Aside from the fact that the Pierce Brosnan 007, being a movie Bond, carries the Bond movie tradition of enjoying high-tech gadgets (this element lacks in the original books), this Bond is also the freshest, most suave, and most “superhero  perfect” among all the Bonds.  Though plenty will say that Sean Connery is the best Bond ever, and there are valid arguments for this, still, for me, Brosnan is the best.  Because he was the Bond of my time and the Bond that made me love the character.      

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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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