Here's my current top 10 list:
1. Samurai Champloo
2. FLCL
3. One Piece
4. Seirei no Moribito
5. Legend of the Galactic Heroes
6. Monster
7. Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex
8. Guin Saga
9. Kino's Journey
10. Ergo Proxy
If you've noticed, I have maybe a couple Shonen series, and the rest are Seinen. I've seen quite a bit of anime, so if anyone here needs a rec, I can give you one.
EricDent, you get 100 awesome points for liking Moribito. :thumb:
Also, I agree..anyone who hasn't seen Cowboy Bebop needs to see it now. That was the one anime that showed America that something so gritty, so brilliant could be produced.
I'm watching Abenobashi right now and as much as I like it, it feels like "Universe of the Week". Of course this is after I watched four episodes, so I still have a ways to go.
As for the Evangelion Rebuild movies, I enjoy them a great deal better than the original series, and hopefully by the last movie, I won't have a repeat of the original series' ending.
For those who find all of Code Geass to be a masterpiece, I understand what you like about it, but I'll never understand what makes it a great anime series. Back when I first watched it, I knew what I was going in for; CLAMP designs with a Sunrise story by none other than Goro Taniguchi who directed shows like, s-CRY-ed, Planetes, and Infinite Ryvius. By the end, I didn't think too much of it. It was a fun ride, and I enjoyed it for what it was. The multiple plot twists in the second season put me off a great deal, and Lelouch was probably the only character that stood out to me as he won battle after battle with a flick of a wrist and a great deal of flamboyance.
But that's about as much praise as I'll give it. Not too long ago, I finished what is most likely the best-written anime I have ever seen. Legend of the Galactic Heroes. With a plot as epic as its name, including 3 movies, and 2 Gaiden series, it is currently the longest OVA in the world at 110 episodes. The war between the Free Planets Alliance and the Galactic Empire has been raging on for hundreds of years, and from it, two talented admirals appear onto the stage - Yang Wenli of the FPA and Reinhard von Lohengramm of the Imperial Forces. As the two deal with their superiors and subordinates, they must also continue to plot strategies against each other and deal with the situations caused by their respective governments.
This is the show that takes a bit of everything and handles them well. Love, Humor, Deception, Betrayal, War, and most importantly Politics are mixed together nicely into this masterpiece. It has a sense of scale and gravity that some might say inspired One Piece in a way. Ultimately, the show asks one question, and that is, "What is better, Democracy, or Autocracy?".
War plays a big role in the show as it becomes the single thing that ties all the characters together. Actual strategy is used, and is explained in detail as to how it will play out in a given battle. The admirals of these immensely large fleets are by all means human, flawed, and vary in intelligence from downright pathetic to absolute genius. The relations between characters vary from fellow officers, lovers, best friends, and businessmen. Though most of the time is spent on characters in the millitary, what happens to them is of great importance to their comrades and their loved ones on their respective planets.
Unlike many shows that rely on slapstick and wacky situations, the humor in this anime is dry, like in House M.D. Poking fun at other characters for varying reasons or centering the joke around themselves is how this show does things.
The soundtrack is one of the easier things to notice as it is almost entirely comprised of classical music. As the fights occur, they do so to pieces like Maurice Ravel's "Bolero", which actually suits the mood, treating it as a refined, yet enterertaing work.
Also, for a show this large, a large acting cast is expected. Some of the most famous Japanese voice actors are featured, such as Ryo Horikawa (Vegeta), Norio Wakamoto (Charles zi Britannia, Victoreem), Mitsushi Kotono (Sailor Moon, Boa Hancock, Misato Katsuragi), and Kazuhiko Inoue (Kakashi Hatake, November 11).
With all those good points aside, the only thing this show suffers from is in its animation department. Dialogue is heavy and becomes a 'talking heads' show every now and then. The art is quite dated as it first came out in the late 80's, however the character designs are the most human looking, doing away with the large eyes and pointed noses many of us have grown accustomed to seeing. Warfare between ships feel like one big lightshow with explosions following suit.
To be honest, Geass takes quite a bit from LOGH... even Lelouch himself is lightly based off of Reinhard.
If any of you ever decide to watch LOGH, I ask that you have patience, as the show really takes off after the first season. If you have any further questions, feel free to pm me.
I guess next week, I'll write a bit on why I like One Piece. :biggrin:
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