Anime Recommendations and Open Thread
(I Heart Anime t-shirt now on sale at the NeatoShop)
I started watching anime several months ago. In fact, since last summer, I watched little television other than anime. Girls und Panzer is my favorite series so far, but I thought that I'd recommend a few others that have proven entertaining. I've tried to avoid serious spoilers, but you will find synopses below.
(Image: Pony Canyon)
Maoyu/Demon King and Hero
I'm currently watching Maoyu, a fantasy series that demonstrates remarkably well thought-out worldbuilding. It's about a conflict between humans and demons, which is not unusual in amime. But efforts to resolve it consist largely of economic measures, rather than combat. The series provides a fascinating story centered around capital expansion, commodities trading, monetary policies and investment banking. In short, the main characters try to end a prolonged and stalemated war by making peace more profitable than war. Maoyu appeals to my inner Ferengi.
(Image: Arms Corporation)
Sekai de Ichiban Tsuyoku Naritai/Wanna Be the Strongest in the World
This is a lighthearted show about an idol singer who, on a whim, decides to become a professional wrestler. It's the most original premise that I've encountered in an anime. I'm not really pleased with how it is resolved, but the grit and determination of the main character, Sakura Hagiwara, is admirable. And at the end of a long, demanding day, it can be nice to have a show that doesn't require me to think too hard. This show fits that bill.
(Image: White Fox)
Hataraku Maō-sama/The Devil Is a Part-Timer
It's a funny premise: the demon lord of another world is cast out of his kingdom and thrown into our world. He finds himself penniless and almost devoid of his magical powers. So he starts working at a McDonald's. He dedicates himself fully to becoming the best McDonald's employee possible and proves to be excellent at his job. This is the first step in his plan to take over Earth. After all, he knows that if he does well, he'll be promoted! Eventually, succeeding at work will lead to worldwide domination.
(Image: Asread)
Yu-Sibu/I Couldn’t Become a Hero, So I Reluctantly Decided to Get a Job
Yu-Sibu is somewhat similar to The Devil Is a Part-Timer. The long war between humans and demons has come to an end. The main character, Raul, had trained extensively to be a professional hero. Now that the war is over, he's unemployed and has no marketable skills. So he works as a sales clerk at an electronics store. One of his co-workers is a member of the demonic aristocracy. Yu-Sibu is funny, but it also affirms the nobility of ordinary, honest labor.
What anime do you enjoy? In the comments, share your recommendations and any other reflections you have on anime.
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The first anime that I really liked was Ranma 1/2, which is very funny. In particular, I like how it pokes fun at the conventions of many martial arts manga by creating silly 'ultimate techniques'. Of particular note is the "Saotome Final Attack".
For sheer randomness, be sure to watch "Ordinary Life" (aka Nichijou). It is hard to describe, but is really fun.
There is a category of anime called "slice-of-life", in which the details of daily living receive a lot of focus. These can be vey boring to some people, but I rather like their gentle nature. Three come to mind:
"Record of a Yokohama Shopping Trip" (Yokohama Kaidashi Kiko), which is a science fiction story set around a robot named Alpha, who runs a coffee shop. She is in a Japan that has suffered some catastrophe in which the oceans have risen and Mt. Fuji erupted. Humanity is entering the twilight of its life with a gentle retirement.
"Aria" is also a science fiction story set 300 years in the future. Centered in the city of "Neo Venezia" on the planet Aqua (formerly Mars), a terraforming miscalculation resulted in the surface of Mars being largely covered with water. The characters are girls training to enter the profession of gondola tour guides around the city, which is a replica of Venice. It is a delightful story, and is sumptuously drawn.
"Tamayura: Hitotose" and its sequel "Tamayura: More Aggressive" are both beautifully drawn anime set in the Seto Inland Sea. They center around a girl who loves to take pictures, and her friends who have their own hobbies and talents. The friendship of the characters is very sweet, as the normally shy girl named Fu gains confidence and develops her talent for photography.
For a tear-jerker, see "Ano Hi Mita Hana no Namae o Bokutachi wa Mada Shiranai", lit. "We Still Don't Know the Name of the Flower We Saw That Day." The series is usually referred to as "Ano Hana", and is a ghost story. A group of children break apart after a tragic accident in which one of their members dies, but her ghost comes back after some years. Your eyes will ache from too many tears, although it has a pretty happy ending.
An epic fantasy story can be found in "Seirei no Moribito" (Guardian of the Sacred Spirit), which features one of the most admirable heroines: Balsa the Spear Woman. Set in a world much like medieval Japan, Balsa has agreed to be the bodyguard for the Emperor's second son, who is fated to either save the world or destroy it, depending on how you interpret the prophecy. This story has some memorable characters, and the political intrigues are fascinating.
"Taisho Yakyu Musume" (Taisho Baseball Girls) is set in 1925 Japan. The early 20th century was a period of transition and modernization for Japan, which shocked the world at the turn of the century by defeating the "western" nation of Russia in a naval dispute over the Kuril Islands (I may have this wrong. I mention it because these islands are still disputed territory). Students at a girls' school decide to learn how to play baseball, a game that is both male and western, in order to challenge the team from a boys' school. The story itself is fun to watch, but it also illustrates the transition of Japan into a modern, westernized nation.
"Silver Spoon" is about a boy who decides to leave the city and attend a boarding high school that specializes in agriculture. He now has to get up at 4 am to feed the chickens, etc. It's better than it sounds, but what gets me about this is the feeling that Japan is trying to encourage its young people to consider farm life. Japan, like America, is losing population in rural towns as young people gravitate to urban, technical careers. I wonder if this anime is designed to make some of them reconsider.
I generally don't go for horror, but Dusk Maiden of Amnesia was captivating with more twists than a roller coaster. Who's dead? Who isn't (it DOES matter)?
Trigun, the story of Vash the Stampede, a great fighter, coward, and general center of chaos, and like the Dirty Pair, it's not really his fault that mass destruction follows him.
First Squad, a movie, has amazing graphics. group of "special" people struggle to save Russia from the Nazis.
I am not a car person, but I loved Project D. Car race excitement and psychological growth make this one a no brainer. Just fun to watch as well.
I can't watch Hell Girl again. Blown away the first time. Too emotionally painful to watch again.
Captain Harlock. Classic.
Sword Art takes you into a fantasy land of being trapped matrix style as an adventurer in a video game where only completion of the game will grant release.
Stein's Gate pits a brilliant and somewhat crazy group trying to fix what seem to be a breakdown of the flow of time against a faceless entity that would seek to take their world changing creation at any cost.
Naturally twists abound in both, so I struggle to say much more than: You should watch these!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kowarekake_no_Orgel
It's about a young man who suffers from a disabling grief and an android helper he rescues from a junk pile. It's kind of unique and has a beautiful song in its closing.
Currently watching Hoozuki no Reitetsu and is amazing. Is also comedy.