One cannot speak of Trigun without mentioning two things: the protagonist Vash the Stampede and his foil, Nicholas D. Wolfwood. These two characters made the show for me. Even by himself, Vash manages to steal every scene he's in with either his wacky antics or his superhuman feats of marksmanship (heck, he doesn't even draw his gun until the fifth episode). It is at episode nine, when they introduce Wolfwood, the tall and jaded traveling priest, that the show really picks up (not that it was a slouch in the first place). In particular, for me, it's the dynamic between Vash's pacifism and Wolfwood's more traditional sense of justice that really keeps Trigun moving. For Vash, the story focuses on his past and the reasons for his way of life, as well as his struggle to adhere to those beliefs as his situation becomes increasingly violent and difficult. For Wolfwood, it focuses on his path as it crosses Vash's and Wolfwood's internal struggle between his personal beliefs and Vash's. It is because of these two characters and the trials that they go through during the series that makes Trigun one of my favorite series.
Princess Tutu is cursed with what is perhaps one of the most unfortunate title names in anime (there's worse, but not too many people would tell their friends that they like something called "Princess Tutu"). Honestly, I had my doubts going into this show; there were some moments where I thought to myself, "Wow, what I'm watching is really girly." But in the end, the dark, fairy-tale atmosphere and unusually deep classical score won me over. Although at first it appeared to be a rather traditional magical girl show, the levels of meta the story approached quickly wiped away any semblance of mediocrity. The multiples layers and dark nature of the story was a big plus for me. However, the show rarely exuded angst; rather, the nature of the story kept it suspenseful yet light-hearted, but never shallow. And what an ending! This is something you don't hear very often, but Princess Tutu made ballet epic.
Mention Cowboy Bebop to a person who is otherwise unfamiliar with anime and you'll get a hint of recognition. Mention it to a fan of the medium, and nine times out of ten they will rave to you about the show. It has one of the best English dubs ever, widely regarded by many to be better than the Japanese original. Its television airtime on Adult Swim got many people curious about Japanese animation. Its soundtrack was dynamic, memorable, and (for many) made the show. It is the anime that all other anime are judged against, the standard of what makes a show great. In short, Cowboy Bebop is legendary. So why is it only number eight on my list? Although I am one of those fans that worships this show, there's a handful of other shows and films that I identified with on a slightly deeper level. Nevertheless, Spike and the crew and their adventures will always have a place in my heart and on my shelf.
7. Porco Rosso
Porco Rosso is hands down my favorite Hayao Miyazaki movie. Set in the interbellum Adriatic Sea, it tells the story of a bounty hunter who is a skilled pilot with a past, cursed with the appearance of a pig. It's very different from just about every other movie that Miyazaki has made. It simultaneously resembles a Studio Ghibli film while exuding its own atmosphere, one that fits perfectly with the setting, reminiscent of classic American cinema. Indeed, the character of Porco (who gets a laudable dub from Michael Keaton) draws much from Humphrey Bogart of Casablanca fame. It has unique airplane designs, and the dogfights are a joy to watch. There are no real villains in this film, but rather different groups of people with their own agendas. The pirates are hilarious, especially the boss of the Mamma Aiuto Gang (appropriately voiced by Brad Garrett). There's just so much about this film that I love, simply because I'm a plane-loving romantic at heart.
6. Toradora!
You can find high school romantic comedies in anime like underage drunk people in Kam's (local bar on campus): there's not really a shortage of either. With that said, it's quite an accomplishment to take a rather normal idea for a show, just run with it, and get something really special in the end. But that's Toradora! for you. It doesn't try to do any special twists or gags to keep the viewers interested. It's just a well-written, well-animated, and well-acted television show. It wins the race with sheer quality. And it's the way the characters grow and develop through the story, as well as the way the story itself unfolds, that just makes me love this show.
Studio Gainax's celebration of ridiculous mecha action, testosterone, and the indomitable human spirit easily places itself within my top five. Just watch it.
As a kid, I remember watching Cardcaptors, Nelvana's bastardization of this wonderful series, and enjoying it because I didn't know any better. When I started seriously getting into anime in high school, I watched bits of Cardcaptors again. It was horrible. So I watched the original Japanese version, hearing that it was vastly superior to the heavily-edited localization. And it was. To this day, any episode of Cardcaptor Sakura never fails to bring a smile to my face.
First of all, rest in peace, Satoshi Kon. Kon died of cancer August of last year at the age of 46. I was really hoping that he'd be one of the next great anime directors. The work he has left behind, however, is all great stuff, and my personal favorite is Millenium Actress. This film is about a old actress who reminiscences about her life during an interview. Her story is that of a young girl who left home in search of a man who left her a key. Her flashbacks flow seamlessly between reality and scenes from her movies, and the end product is a poetic, deeply moving film with Kon's signature all over it.
Ah, Makoto Shinkai. Why are you so talented? All of his works so far have followed some theme related to loss and separation. When he was still figuring out the direction he wanted to take the film, he walked into a convenience store and heard Masayoshi Yamazaki's "One more time, One more chance," and Shinkai got the inspiration he was looking for. The theme he decided for 5 Centimeters was the feeling of losing something that wasn't there in the first place. You're damn right I know how that feels. The male lead agonizes over the memories of the time he spent with a girl in his youth. Stuck on those memories during his high school years, he fails to notice a girl who has unrequited feelings for him. As an adult, he spends three years in a relationship with another, and we see the lack of emotion and commitment in concise snippets of animation. It is because the film speaks to me so deeply, and because it is so gorgeously animated, that I love this film to death.
Thank you, Kozue Amano, for coming up with such a concept and drawing a beautiful manga. Thank you, Junichi Sato for picking it up and turning it into an anime. Thank you, Nozomi Entertainment, for bringing it over to North America with subtitles and nice packaging. I give my greatest thanks to everyone who helped bring such a wonderful series to life. It doesn't have any great plot developments, nor heart-stopping action or drama, but I just love Aria. Set in the future, on a terraformed Mars (now called "Aqua"), it's about some girls who want to become Undines, or gondola-paddling tour guides, in the city of Neo-Venezia. That's it. For 52 episodes and an OVA, that's all the show is about. But it's the focus of the show on the happiness that could be found in little things in life that makes it stand out. It's just so relaxing and uplifting; I feel like my soul has been cleansed a little bit after every episode I watch. Certainly not a show to be watched all at once, but rather to be watched one or two episodes at a time at the end of a stressful day. And it's this healing power that makes me love Aria and makes me want to share it with everyone dear to me.
There were also a few other titles that barely missed the cut for the list, but they deserve an honorable mention.
Kino's Journey
This blog's namesake, Kino's Journey slowly unravels the human condition in 13 episodes worth of vignettes about the travels of Kino and her talking, motorized companion, Hermes.
Mushishi
Episodic story of a "Mushi Master" as he tries his best to ensure the peaceful coexistence of humans and mysterious lifeforms known as "mushi."
Planetes
Epic and very human drama set in a near-future, hard science setting. Tackles some very serious issues about space exploration and entertains throughout.
Haibane Renmei
Unique story of a girl who is reborn as a winged being in a town enclosed by walls with no memory of her past life.
So you've convinced me to check out Gurren Lagann and 5 cm/s. And I'm probably gonna watch the Trigun series again...
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