Forgive me, dear readers, for I have sinned.
My first sin is that this article was due to be posted on Tuesday; I've dragged my feet and here we are into the weekend. But the bigger sin is my long-held reservation about anime.
You see, I have an addictive personality, and I've been afraid for years that if I watched more than the occasional Japanese animated movie, I would become hopelessly hooked and end up a ragged homeless person, begging passing strangers for spare change so I could buy the 379th episode of a never-ending series.
Then, after watching a review copy of Afro Samurai and loving it (sorry, haters), I decided to invest in the first volumes of a half-dozen recent series -- just to have a taste, just to see what I was missing, just to see if I liked it.
And now my worst fears have become horrid reality. I am hooked. After the jump, I will confess my top 5 new addictions.
One more prefacing note: please share your recommendations for other recent anime series by leaving a comment. Or, tell me why I should immediately stop watching the ones I've listed. Or, give me the number for the local chapter of Anime-o-holics Anonymous.
5. Black Lagoon
Sometimes you just need a shot of adrenaline. A young salaryman is kidnapped by a gang of hoodlums who storm his company -- and then his corporate overlord tells him he must sacrifice himself to preserve the company's business secret! He's none too happy with that idea and ends up joining the law-breaking yet guardedly friendly band of rogues. Very simple plots, plenty of colorful gun battles and explosions, and a prototypical babe with a bad attitude made this one go down easy. This is what I call mindless fun. And it doesn't give me hives -- unlike the mere thought of enduring Rush Hour 3. I've already ordered Volume 2.
4. Noein
I have the vague feeling that the set-up may be quite familiar to anime fans, but I liked the contrast between the two basic settings. Noein features young teens fighting and crushing and playing on earth, while metaphysical creatures flit between dimensions and repair (or cause) ruptures in the space-time continuum. Just when the teen interplay becomes wearisome, the spirit warriors wreck havoc with random blotches of dream machinery and color patterns that resemble inkspots gone wild. I think the run of four volumes has concluded, so don't tell me how it ends; I'm waiting for Volume 2 to arrive.
3. Hellsing Ultimate
Whoa. Everyone wants to tell their own version of the vampire story, and I enjoyed the hell out of this one. (He he. Permit me my little jokes, please.) The animation is florid and expressive. Crispin Freeman is suitably spooky as the powerful Alucard, who is the #1 tool of the Hellsing Organization, authorized to deal with all things supernatural in England. Two volumes have been released so far in the US; the first is 50 minutes and the second 40. That's not very long for the money you pay, but I anticipate watching each one several times. So far it feels like a very rich meal; eat too much at one sitting and you might keel over and die. The third volume is due in October.
2. Le Chevalier D'Eon
Production I.G. pulls out all the stops on this lushly animated period piece. Set in 18th Century France and filled with royal intrigue, we follow the title character on secret missions for King Louis. Le Chevalier's sister has been killed and her spirit cannot rest until her death is avenged. Le Chevalier is rarin' to do so, but wait until he finds out how his sister's spirit manifests itself. It caught me completely off-guard. Le Chevalier was inspired by a real-life figure; helpful supplemental features on the disks and informative booklets could make you believe you're spending your time in an educational pursuit. But really it's the stinging swordplay, hounds from hell, and other assorted weirdness that's hooked me. I've watched the eight episodes on the first two disks and am eagerly waiting for Volume 3 to arrive, er, as soon as I can afford to order it.
1. The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya
I read an online recommendation of this, but by the time the first DVD arrived, I'd forgotten what the review said. I popped it in at a friend's house, and we laughed ourselves hoarse through Episode 1. Haruhi is one of those strong-minded, out-of-my-way girls that storm their way through adolescence, letting nothing stand in their way. She is fearlessly unselfconscious -- she thinks nothing of changing into her clothes for gym class in the midst of a roomful of fellow students, sending everyone scurrying away out of embarrassment. She's the kind of girl who grabs people by force and bends them to her will. And her character is so self-important, without a shred of humor or modesty or humility, that it made us laugh until our sides split. Because we had known girls like that, and been caught up in their orbit of activity, and snuck away to live another day.
But I fear to say any more than that, because it would spoil the discovery. Just know that Haruhi wants to see aliens, time travelers, and ESPers, and she always gets what she wants. Through the first seven episodes in two volumes, the series is mind-blowingly good. (And Crispin Freeman is truly spectacular in his voice work as the hapless boy caught in a whirlwind.) It is rapidly establishing itself as my favorite viewing experience of the year.
More, please.
I'm glad to see people are enjoying The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya as much as I have. There is a wellspring of amazing anime out there. A great deal of it wonderful, smart and very mature works of art. I shall suggest to you the following, which I consider to be some of the best series of animation ever created, and movies as well.
Catsoup
This is a very surreal short movie about a girl whose brother is taken by a spirit and she needs to find him in a strange dreamlike world. Bad description, but it's an amazing film.
Ergo Proxy
One of the best animated series I have ever seen. Futuristic Shakespeare with smatterings of influence from films like Equilibrium, and the Matrix (not the second or third movie) without the annoying bullet time.
Jungle wa itsumo Hale nochi Guu
Very poppy, bright animation about a young boy living in a jungle with his alcoholic mother. They befriend a pink haired girl named Guu who has a portal to another dimension in her stomach. Hilarity ensues.
Flcl (FoolyCooly)
A short series about a young boy who has serious self esteem issues and a gateway in his head that giant robots sometimes come out of. A young woman named Haruko screws everything up, and once again hilarity ensues.
Now and Then Here and There.
A young boy from earth is whisked away to another planet/dimension and forced to join a Fascist military group comprised of children. This is a very heavy handed anime with quite a bit of brutality in it.
Gantz
This one is hard to explain, I suggest reading a summary of the plot, and perhaps watch an episode or two online.
There is an abundance more for you to research.
You actually have a great list of new anime up there. Keep watching them. I tend to go for some of the grittier series out there so here's some recommendations:
1. Elfen Lied
This isn't that new but if you've been out of the loop as much as you say you have then you may have missed this show. All I can say is that if this show doesn't hook you within the first five minutes then you might as well turn it off. Really.
2. Gantz
Two friends "die" after being hit by a train while trying to save someone. They are transported to a room by Gantz, a large black sphere, and are told that it now controls their lives. The are forced to participate in a "game" that entails eliminating alien targets. This is just one of those must see type of series.
3. Speed Grapher
One of current faves. A former war photographer who now takes pics for a tabloid manages to infiltrate a secret organization that uses this weird chick to grant people powers.
4. Desert Punk
Lots of comedy, action and fan service. The English dub on this show is pretty damn good and I actually prefer it over the Japanese track.
5. Fate/Stay Night
I'm actually just starting this one, but so far so good. I've heard nothing but good things about it and it's shaping up to be a nice series.
6. Ergo Proxy
Ergo Proxy is a complex show that basically centers around a female agent as she investigates these freaky murders in this futiristic domed city. I don't know know if I'm just slow, but this show seemed a bit hard to follow. I had to pay close attention or else i wouldn't know what the hell was going on.
7. Texhnolyze
If you like cyberpunk then you should like this. Texhnolyze is a dark, trippy and unique anime. In the first episode not a single word is spoken until about 10 minutes in. I must warn you though. The first volume isn't gonna give you too much in the ways of story. Things don't really start to make sense until the second one.
9. Bleach
This is one of the most popular series out today and for good reason. Ichigo is a kid who accidentally inherits the powers of a shinigami(death god) and must now take over the job of slaying Hollows (monstrous creatures that feed on spirit energy). The series gets way deeper than that as it goes along since it is now up in the hundreds in Japan, but i think there are about 5 or so volumes released in the US so far.
10. Guyver
Maybe I'm biased cuz I've loved Guyver since I was a kid, but this remake of the 80s show is one of my favorites.
11. Basilisk
It's all about watching cool ninjas with badass powers kick each others asses. If you've seen the film Shinobi than you know the story (they are based on the same source material) and can expect lots of action.
12. Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex 1st and 2ng GIG
I had to mention it. You may have already seem it but if you haven't please do. A lot of fans of the movie don't like the show as much cuz they aren't the same, but for me after I got used to it I really began to appreciate the series. Every episode may not have you pondering deep metaphysical questions, but the show is well written and certainly is not dumbed down for those who'd rather not think when watching anime. It's a great expansion on the GitS universe. Oh yeah, watch the new movie too.
13. My- Hime
Sounds like a girly show right? I thought so too so I avoided it for while. It wasn't until one of friends showed me the first episode that I realized I had judged it wrongly. Check it out.
Oh shit! I forgot one, if you liked Afro Samurai, your next logical step should have been toward:
Samurai Champloo:
Hip hop stylings and wandering samurai. Throw in some social commentary on the period, and some very strange sideplots, and it's all brilliant. Fantastic itro sequence and animation, too.
why post this on twitch?
this is personal blog drivel
Oh and Panik?
It's called an editorial, we have some of those here at Twitch. Does that answer your question?
PS, A Follow-up
Hellsing Ultimate, is just a rehash of the original, with some new stuff put in.
Most places don't have a good write up for this. If you have seen the original Hellsing, then you have seen this one.
But if you have not seen the original Hellsing then I guess this would be a very good one to watch then.
I'd say Dennou Coil is the most under-rated series currently airing in Japan right now! It's also surprising that there isn't already a thread in the forum about anime.
Berserk- A dark fantasy and I DO mean dark. The main character, Guts, carries a large sword and hunts down demons. This guy is the ultimate badass. Even though its my absolute favorite series, I think the anime doesn't do the manga justice. There is still some untie loose ends and missing characters that are critical to the overall plot. If you get the chance, I strongly recommend anyone to check the manga out.
Hajime no Ippo (Fighting Spirit)- A great Boxing series about Ippo, an underdog with lots of heart. The series really pull me in and had me rooting for him while laughing on the mischief of his friends. I still gotta finish watching the series (Hugh! 76 episodes).
Guyver (the early series)- Its one of the first series that introduce me to anime and I totally dig it. Its a cool superhero/sentai show with great action and scary monsters.
I'm very picky when it comes to anime and so far, there isn't any current series I'm following.
Call me ignorant but I fail to see the point of 10 episodes that all work like this: characters are in some weird place, wander around, are confused, wake up to find that the past 20 minutes were a dream/illusion, roll credits. This is what ERGO PROXY turned into after episode 14 or thereabouts and it kept that garbage up until finally getting back on track in the last 2 episodes. The worst offender by far was that game show episode. I got very close to putting my foot through my TV. I fully blame the quasi demise of the OVA format for things like this. 15 years ago, ERGO PROXY would have been a kick-ass 6-8 part OVA series, each OVA running about 45 minutes. But OVA is pretty much dead and the majority of anime is now made as TV series with significantly higher episode counts and total running times. This breeds ugly filler crap which in turn taints and ruins a lot of potentially great shows. Sorry, but a series that is chock full of filler can't be great. It had potential and it wasted it, that's it. PARANOIA AGENT, which has also been mentioned by someone above is equally guilty of this as ERGO PROXY. A great first couple of episodes, then a number of annoying unrelated "side-stories" (some of which have their merits on their own but should never have been part of this) before it gets back on track at the end.
BTW, there's nothing wrong with liking radically different series from radically different genres. I still believe that not many people who enjoy the lolita snuff of ELVEN LIED will also embrace the comedy antics of HARUHI.
Thanks, everybody, for your great comments. Much appreciated. Reading the article again in the light of day, though, I realize I left a few things out:
- While I've seen and loved a number of Studio Ghibli productions and several films by Satoshi Kon, I've watched very few series. I'm still a bit leery of the long-running shows, so, like Asian Flix, prefer ones in the 13-26 episode range.
- I should have made it more clear that I'm most interested in what *you* have liked, not in what you think I might like based on just the few examples I gave. Sorry about that.
- Caterpillar: Actually, like siluro, I've already watched ELFEN LIED and loved it, though I can understand your feelings and definitely could have done without all those upskirt shots and certain other distasteful elements. I also have the GANTZ set waiting in the wings. But I only made it through the first two episodes of ERGO PROXY - very confusing without much reward.
- Panik: As Aardvark mentioned, the "Twitch-O-Meter" is a weekly editorial feature in which Twitch writers take a more personal approach than usual. Click the "Twitch-O-Meter" link to see past columns. Sorry mine wasn't your cup of tea.
- I should have acknowledged that I've spent a considerable amount of time on Anime News Network (as Kajino P noted) and Anime on DVD. Both sites provide a ton of great information.
- As suggested by air*, I've started an Anime thread in the General Forum.
it's a nice idea, anime, but its like eating too much of a tasty candy... you'll end up sick, especially if your tastes extend beyond sugar. that said, for all the drivel in anime, there's some good stuff - i am heading for 'basilisk' i think, set is out in october, and i can't recommend satoshi kon's 'paranoia agent' enough. personally, it's anime films for me - and now the odd manga, of which there's some more interesting stuff to be had, it seems....
@air*: Dennou Coil certainly is underrated. It's an EXCELLENT series, can't recommend it too much. For those who are into anime and haven't heard of it, you should really see it.
Wondering what it's about?
It's a Ghibli-like (not that strange, due to some ex-Ghibli staff and Tokuma being involved with it) animation science fiction series depicting a near future where Augmented Reality (AR) technology has just begun to enter the mainstream. The series takes place in the fictional city of Daikoku, a hotbed of AR development with an emerging city-wide virtual infrastructure. It follows a group of children as they use AR visors to unravel the mysteries of the half real, half Internet city, using a variety of illegal software tools, techniques, and virtual pets to manipulate the digital landscape.
Raised your curiousity? In that case I'll point you to the lovely opening sequence, which can of course be seen at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u10Ie9mTqTY
Official website:
http://www.tokuma.co.jp/coil/
i'm not a huge anime fan, but these series are my favorites
ghost in the shell: stand alone complex
flcl
paranoia agent
azumanga daioh
ergo proxy
gankutsuou
Elfen Lied is actually a very mean spirited parody of anime based on dating simulation games. If you haven't suffered through a few of those, it's sort of easy to miss just how good it is.
Giant Robo is the greatest anime of all time, and really needs to be mentioned somewhere in this thread.
I'd been out of anime for a long time with nothing really catching my interest that wasn't a faithful adaptation of a manga I'd already read. But since this spring there's been a ton of amazing things. Mostly not out to purchase yet.
People are already talking about Dennou Coil, so I'll add my voice - directed and written by one of the industries best animators, it's a real labor of live.
Seirei no Moribito - Low key, richly detailed fantasy series with some of the best fights ever animated. By the same staff as the Ghost in the Shell TV series, and based on some of the best novels I've ever read (they'll be out in English next year too.) Edges out Twelve Kingdoms since the characters don't start out loathsome.
Mononoke - spin-off of the Goblin Cat story from Ayakashi: Samurai horror tales, this looks like Curse of the Golden Flower and uses minimal animation by digital sets designed to look like they were painted on hand made paper that the camera can freely move through in three dimensions. The result is one of the most mobile cameras in animation, and it is used very effectively to freak you the hell out all the time.
Baccano! - Prohibition era New York, alchemists, thieves, train robbers, and immortals. Hideously fun. The anime is ambitiously trying to tell the first three storylines (and four novels) simultaneously, cross cutting between different years, but it mostly makes sense.
Sayonara Zetsubo Sensei - one of the least likely manga ever to get adapted, a snarky bit of black humor that essentially takes an idiot or buzz word from modern culture, extends it far beyond the original meaning, and then reverses it in elaborate untranslatable verbal riffs. The kind of show that gets away with having a Best of Enya CD as an integral component of a suicide kit.
Oh! Edo Rocket - by the director of Fullmetal Alchemist, a comedic tale of a fireworks maker in old Edo trying to build a rocket to carry an alien back to her planet.
Gurren Lagann - 15 episodes of amazing manly robot action. After that the show takes a violent and misguided tone to darker themes and I quit watching in disgust.
Berserk is my all time favorite.Its very dark and filled with interesting characters,epic storyline and some great music to boot.It's kinda Conan-esque.
I take it Peter you prefer the dub versions as opposed to subtitles?I noticed you mentioned some voice work.
@Caterpillar
If you really believe that half of Paranoia Agent is "annoying unrelated stories", I'm done arguing with you over Ergo's latter eps :))
It's all a matter of taste really. If you don't search precisely for what a given anime series is offering, you usually end up missing the point entirely.
It IS the authors fault however, when they mislead you in the beginning of a series (intentionally or not). The most recent example would be the already mentioned Seirei no Moribito "with some of the best fights ever animated" - true enough, but after that mindblowing "Mortal Kombat" episode, there wasn't a single goddamn fight for over 10 eps! Don't get me wrong - I enjoy Moribito a lot, it's one of the best this season, but there were times where I was like "Oh, come on! Just let Balsa kick some ass already!" But instead I got an episode about rolling coins - all the 20 minutes of it. You see, it's easy to get disappointed if you don't get what you're looking for :)
Wow, most of the stuff I would recommend have already been mentioned (I was actually just watching Ergo this morning).
I guess I would add Devil Lady for some stupid trashy monster violence, Gungrave for a killer yakuza rise-to-power drama turned undead actioner, and Goldenboy as the ultimate guilty pleasure.
Kemonodzume - an excellent series from Mind Game director Masaaki Yuasa.
I am religious about Bleach. I tried Naruto for a while but that series goes nowhere fast. I liked Basalisk. I liked Bezerk. I liked Initial D, just because.
I really cannot recommend Elfen Lied and Neon Genesis Evangelion enough.
I greatly prefer features to series - mostly for reasons of higher production values and the sheer investment of time required to watch a series. However, there are series out there that I'd consider essential viewing for damn near anyone.
COWBOY BEBOP
SAMURAI CHAMPLOO (a bit like AFRO SAMURAI, only good)
OH! SUPER MILK CHAN (fansub version is the best - ADV, if you rearrange the letters and add a couple of vowels, spells AVoiD)
STAR BLAZERS/SPACE BATTLESHIP YAMATO
FUTURE BOY CONAN (directed by Hayao Miyazaki)
FLCL
GHOST IN THE SHELL: STAND ALONE COMPLEX
KEMONOZUME
My personal favorites are:
Peacemaker Kurogane
Black Lagoon
Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex
Shigurui (brand new, kinda weird at first)
Gungrave
Death Note
Basilisk: Kouga Ninpo Cho
FullMetal Alchemist
I have to say Denno Coil is the only series that is holding my attention at the moment, though there are indeed many other jewels out there.
Can't wait for the dvd to be released next month.
This is shameless self advertising, but has no one here watched Freedom Project ?
I've seen Freedom Project....still waiting for the next ep to appear.
It's slightly different to what I usually watch so I like it. The animation isn't my thing but it isn't half-bad either.
I'm surprised that no one has yet recommended Mushishi. The live action film may not get stellar reviews, but the original manga is an award winner, and the anime adaptation is an absolute masterpiece. Better animation quality (higher frame rates) than any other title mentioned here so far, and the stories have a haunting, mythic, literary quality that's unshakable and deeply moving. The Mushishi anime is absolute top-shelf stuff. As good as anime gets.
Actually, the quality of animation is not so much determined by the frame rate, but rather the animator's understanding of movement, pose and timing. You can have an amateur animating at 24 fps that won't look as good as a pro who doing it at 12. An excellent example would be Iso Mitsuo's Denno Coil. My apologies, I felt an obligation to pass the right information along.
That said, I've also heard excellent reviews for Mushishi, and hope to catch the series soon.
Gantz is fucking terrible, avoid. They somehow managed to make its interesting setup boring, and a vast majority of the series is spent listening to the main characters whine endlessly about how they hate killing, while some slimy alien rips people to bits. It's also got some horrible and unnecessary sex and nudity, but if your idea of a good time is listening to idiots cry about killing a murderous alien or watching a dog licking a young girl between her legs (really) then you'll probably enjoy it.
You need to watch Monster. Best anime series ever. Berserk is also excellent but has an incredibly frustrating ending.
Oops, I see now that someone has already brought up Mononoke and Sayonara Zetsubou-sensei, and given them much more concise and pithy explanations than I was capable of. Good job, and I applaud you on your good taste, sir. ;)