Back to the countdown again...
#7-5
#7
Jin-Roh: The Wolf Brigade (Bandai)
With realistic characters and a setting that's only a slightly altered version of 1960's Japan, Jin-Roh's a far cry from the typical anime movie-and that's part of what makes it so special. In a world where Japan fell under German rule during World War II, the nation's grown into a tense police state dominated by riots, terrorist cells and brutal crackdowns. Constable Kazuki Fuse seems to be just another cog in the government's riot-control machine, but when an encounter with a bomb-carrying young woman ends in tradgedy, Fuse's shaken to the core. Watched closely by his superiors, he strikes up a friendship with the would-be bomber's sister, who seems to like prolongged silences and the gruesome original version of "Little Red Riding Hood" as much as Fuse does. Jin-Roh owes much to Mamoru Oshii, who wrote the original script and lent the red-eyed police armor from his Kerberos films, but the movie's ultimately the work of the more humanistic director Hiroyuki Okiura, and, in the words of Shizuki Yamashita, Broccoli International USA's director of operations, "if you take an Oshii base story and toss in Okiura's taste, you get a solid story with the romantic element." With Okiura's deft (and sadly little-seen) style in effect, a potentially laborous political drama becomes a gripping battle for Fuse's soul, and one of the most affecingly tragic tales anime has to offer.
#6
Neon Genesis Evangelion (ADV Films)
It's hard to get near Neon Genesis Evangelion without being lost in the crowds drawn by it's unceasing popularity. Ever since it's 1995 debut, it's been analyzed, criticized, vilified, glorified, overated, undervalued and talked about in circles where anime seldom treads. It's best to see it all as a testement to the enduring impact of Evangelion. On one level, it's a giant robot show, with it's halfway post-apocalyptic setting and its simple story of whining young Shinji Ikari drafted into piloting one of the mysterious pseudo-robots that stands between mankind and the destructive race of aliens called Angels. Yet right in the middle of escapist power fantasies, director Hideaki Anno stripped away Evangelion's facade, transforming the series into a brutal psychological drama and striking a disaffected chord that still echoes in anime today. Despite all the elaborate imagery and red-hering Christian references, Evangelion's a powerfully human story at its heart. And while its wide effect may invite backlashes, that story stays the same and the characters remain compelling. Its influence lingers on both sides of the Pacific. "Evangelion was the perfect storm for the North American anime boom," recalled Scott Green of Ain't it Cool News. "Its thundering titans, gravity of character drama and Rorschach symbolism all made for an unparalleled experience."
#5
Revolutionary Girl Utena (Central Park Media)
It began as a tomboy story with a noble twist: rescued by a mysterious prince as a young girl, Utena Tenjou vowed to emulate her savior and become a prince herself. What could have been a simple gender-bending romp takes an eerie turn when Utena transfers to Ohtori Acadamy and inadvertently becomes a duelist, one of several students who partake in swordfighting bouts over ownership of Anthy Himemiya, the Rose Bride. The 39-episode series and lavishly animated movie, which took Utena's basic storyline and wrapped it in even more symbolism, are more than a magical girl adventure with an edge. Visually influenced by the classic Rose of Versallies series, director Kunihiko Ikuhara (Sailor Moon) mixed together allegory, ritual and the dark side of traditional shojo elements for a multi-layered tale that encompasses everything from feminism to the basic conflict between good and evil. "Utena proved that Kunihiko Ikuhara is a genius," says Shizuki Yamashita, Broccoli International USA's director of operations. Utena starts off seeing things in black and white, but she's surrounded by shades of gray. No character escapes an exploration of the weeknesses in their hearts. Utena is more than an adventure; it's a psychological roller coaster.
