The Anime Warren

A place to discuss Anime, Manga and any other aspects of Japanese culture that I come across.

[theanimewarren]

Top 25 Anime Series - 2017 Edition

Oh man, I can't believe I actually managed to come up with this damn list. There are so many changes to my previous top 25 list, it's almost scary. But I promised I would for my dear friend, Doaks as part of the celebration of his finishing his 100 top 10 lists (see his post here https://kitsu.io/posts/8688917 ), so I really dove in and gave it my all to come up with the list. Hopefully I'll be able to explain why I placed the shows on the list in a way that makes sense as well.

I do have to say that that I couldn't actually narrow my list down to 25 though. I got it down to 35 by some miracle. Once I had that ordered the way I liked it, I decided to take the remaining 10, pick 5 of them that made decent talking points and listed them as honorable mentions to the list. I'll be going through those first, then proceeding on to the true meat of the dish, my top 25 anime series! So let's get on with it!

The Honorable Mentions:

5. Bunny Drop/Sweetness and Lightning/Aishiteruze Baby/Listen to Me, Girls. I Am Your Father/etc.

This is the only time on this list that I am going to cite several shows that are not all part of a single series, but I honestly couldn't pick just one of them to represent this topic. Suffice it to say though, I really enjoy these series that deal with the single parent role to a small child. Most of my examples deal with a teenager or young adult in the role, but it doesn't have to be that way. Sweetness and Lightning and Bunny Drop have the parent role filled by someone who is old enough to know better for instance. They all share the same sort of storyline thread though, seeing the ups and downs of parenting from both sides of the relationship and how bonds form and grow as time goes on. You could probably lump Barakamon in with these as well, though Handa-sensei doesn't quite fit the role of legal guardian, but there is still a lot of the same sort of storytelling involved. Poco's Udon World would also fit here, just with that added supernatural element. But yeah, I really love these shows, but alas, not nearly as much as the ones that made the final list.

4. Yoru no Yatterman

https://kitsu.io/anime/yoru-no-yatterman

We've long since gotten used to the concept of a reboot. At least once a year, it seems, there's a new anime reboot of some old series. I'm sure that in Japan, there are actually a fair number of people who either remember the original shows or know about them because they're parents were raised on them, or had a soft spot for them. For us westerners though, this is not always the case. You might get a few of us who happen to stumble across an old show like Time Bokan or Gatchaman, but how many really delve into them? I love older anime and even I'm not well versed in the more obscure series beyond about the mid-90's. That being said, I did make an effort to get some information about Yatterman and the various other characters involved in the Time Bokan universe (it probably has a far better name but I don't know it offhand). Now, why did I do this? Because this series did such a good job of making me want to relive these characters. I knew it was a reboot of sorts, but I didn't know the characters. I could tell it was a total love letter to them and the shows they were from though. If I had grown up with it, I'd probably be in tears of joy the whole time for the wonderful job they did, from many returning characters and set pieces to even the simplest subtle nods left here and there in the show. I loved this show for that. It's not often you can get a sense of nostalgia from something you couldn't possibly have proper nostalgia for, but Yoru no Yatterman did it, and I applaud it for that.

3. Strawberry Panic

https://kitsu.io/anime/strawberry-panic

So, anyone who's spent some time with anime is probably at least somewhat familiar with Yuri. It's not a hard thing to find though. The basic idea has been bastardized for use in many a harem series or comedy series for the laughs. But how many of us know the difference between that and the more proper, pure form of Yuri? Probably more than I'd expect, but still, it's a huge difference that I wasn't totally aware of before I watched Strawberry Panic. I'm very glad I did though. While I'm sure the very idea of Yuri, even in this form, would unsettle many westerners, I found the whole idea very captivating to watch. It was so pure and innocent, and yet it stirred emotions in me that I never thought I'd feel from a show that I thought would be a step below softcore lesbians before I watched it. Boy, was I wrong. This show opened my eyes to yet another facet of anime that that I really need to explore more.

2. Tokyo Magnitude 8.0

https://kitsu.io/anime/tokyo-magnitude-8-0

This is a series unlike anything else I think I've ever seen. I mean, we've had many a disaster movie made in the west. They tend to be either super cheesy summer flicks as far as I've ever seen, though I'm sure there are some decent ones out there. In anime though, I don't know that I've ever seen anything quite like Tokyo Magnitude 8.0. The premise alone is pretty bold coming from a country that is quite possibly one of the most active in the world when it comes to earthquakes. All the same though, there is just something amazing about the execution of the whole story. It's sensationalized a bit, but overall it's a great lesson in the kinds of things you might expect in a huge disaster, and it does that while still telling a powerful and moving story at the same time.

1. The Pilot's Love Song

https://kitsu.io/anime/toaru-hikuushi-e-no-koiuta

For myself, this is one of the more shocking entries on my entire list. When this series ended, I was so pissed off. I have stated many times how much I hated this show for how it ended. But I've reflected on it a bit since then, and you know what? I like it. I mean, yes, the ending is a terrible cliffhanger that never got resolved and there is a bit of the plot near the end that's kinda disappointing as well. The journey to get there though. That is something I enjoyed a lot. The world was also quite cool as an experience, and I wish I could have more of it. Oh, and while I won't delve into this big time, I do appreciate any series that isn't afraid to kill off cast members in a meaningful way, and for a purpose. So yeah, in a lot of ways, This is actually a really great show. The only reason it didn't make the top 25 really is the way we were shafted out of an ending.

Alright. Now that we're past the honorable mentions, it's time, for the shows that I love more than any others. The shows that make me happy, keep me entertained and generally could be the only shows I ever needed if I was stuck on a desert island. Here, are my top 25 anime series!

Top 25:

25. Taisho Baseball Girls

https://kitsu.io/anime/taishou-yakyuu-musume

Considering how highly I spoke of some of the shows in the honorable mentions, seeing this show here is probably quite a surprise to some of you. To that, all I can say is that this show gave me many things that I enjoy just by themselves, but all together in one package.

Sports series. Check.

Moe cast. Check.

Historical setting. Check.

Decent comedy backed by a good story. Check.

All around, it just pleased me in so many ways to watch this. It does feel like the moe edition of “A League of Our Own” at times, but for me this isn't a bad thing. Watching our two initial leads build a female baseball team at a time when so many things were changing in the world, let alone, Japan was just inspiring on a certain level. Add to that the fact that this series has all the proper staples of a sports series without being so long it's hard to watch, and I'm hooked. Both times that I've sat through this series, I've very quickly marathoned through it because I just can't stop once I've started. That's how good it is for me.

24. Mitsudomoe

https://kitsu.io/anime/mitsudomoe

Now, I love me some comedy. But like anyone, my tastes in comedy can be hit or miss at times. I've dropped more than a couple shows where I just didn't get the joke. But when I do get the joke, oh man, it's all over. I'm sure this will be a running theme through this list, but there is one thing I can say about Mitsudomoe that I can't say about any other show on here. Never have I laughed so hard watching anime, and in every episode too. I'm talking big, laugh out loud, in tears and bawling from how funny things get. For some, the humor can surely be low-brow, even sick and disgusting at times, but not me. I just laughed my ass off and moved on to the next episode ready for more.

23. YuruYuri

https://kitsu.io/anime/yuru-yuri

I honestly almost took this off the list entirely. But then I thought back to why I kept up with this show as the OVAs and third season came out. While this series does pander to the less proper Yuri I mentioned above, it's not nearly as bad as some series I've watched. I almost feel like it's the missing link between the two camps of Yuri. It lacks that pure and innocent side, but it doesn't have the overly sexualized side to the degree that we usually see either. It mostly uses it for heartfelt moments or comedic effect, which is a lot more fun to watch. Also, the cast is just brilliant, the OP is catchy as all hell in most seasons and the animation looks great, even to the point where I didn't notice the studio change.

22. Chuunibyou demo Koi ga Shitai!

https://kitsu.io/anime/chuunibyou-demo-koi-ga-shitai

Okay, simple answer to why I like this series. Because I was Rikka and Yuuta as a teenager. Not to that degree, of course, but I can relate to what it's like to want to be something you aren't and to live in my own world rather than face the harsh realities around me. Now if only I had been able to turn mine into a halfway decent harem in the process, hehe. But yeah, beyond that, I just love the way this series executes it's approach to these delusions, both from a story standpoint and from a visual standpoint. Showing us the world as it really is and as Rikka see's it was a wonderful touch and it still pleases me when I think about it. Also, the whole thing about how sweet and innocent the relationships in the seres were portrayed was just great. I know a lot of fans felt the series didn't pay off in the end. I, on the other hand, fell it went exactly where it should have given the personality traits of the characters involved.

21. Shiki

https://kitsu.io/anime/shiki

So, let's analyze this series for a second. It's about vampires, sorta. It holds a lot of the common tropes we all know to be true of vampire stories. But it does avoid some of them and change others to suit it's needs. It also makes sure that, while it's a very dark and depressing series, that has plenty of very bright and flashy elements to it to catch the eye, most notably, the truly unique hairstyles of townsfolk. These two things would probably send any hardcore fan of vampires running away long before the series can sink it's teeth into them. For those that look beyond these two things though, this is probably one of the better vampire stories out there, period. It retains so much of it's gothic roots while making sure it stays modern and original, creating this perfect blend of suspense and horror that even I, someone who is not usually a fan of said things, can be drawn in. Also, that first OP is just awesome, and the sole reason I'm slowly becoming a huge fan of Buck-Tick.

20. Space Dandy

https://kitsu.io/anime/space-dandy

This show has so many things for so many people in it that your enjoyment is pretty dependent on how many of those things click with you. For myself, there was only really one episode that didn't click with me, and even then I saw it as a bit of a spoof on things like it, so I wasn't too bored. Dandy just does so much right and checked so many boxes for me that to list all the reasons why I loved this series would be like writing a term paper, and I sure ain't doing that right now. Let's just say I love it for the boobies and be done with it, okay?

19. My Daddy Long Legs

https://kitsu.io/anime/my-daddy-long-legs

Anyone who knows me, knows my big passions outside of anime are music and reading. Music we'll touch on later. For now though, let's talk about books. Specifically, let's talk about classic literature. I'm sure anyone reading this has at some point taken a class where they had to read some old classic like Tom Sawyer or Little Women or something. Well, there's an anime version of quite a few of these classics held in a series known as World Masterpiece Theater. Now, I personally love these series, having seen a few of them now. They do a great job of presenting classics that I may or may not have read in a way that is entertaining while not taking too much away from the original story (usually). For myself, I've oddly found that I got the most enjoyment out of the ones from books I've never heard of or have very little passing knowledge of. My Daddy Long Legs is a book I've since picked up and enjoyed because of this series. I will say they changed a lot of details for reasons I'm not too clear on, but nonetheless, the series is very enjoyable and one I would definitely watch again. Judy is a great lead character and all the stuff she goes through to get where she does by the end is just inspiring. And on top of all that, this series got me to go out and buy the book it's based on. I can't say that for any other anime I've watched (not counting manga and light novel adaptations of course).

18. Nanaka 6/17

https://kitsu.io/anime/nanaka-6-17

I don't think I've ever thought so much about my own childhood as I did after watching this. It just amazed me. To have all the things I didn't know I'd forgotten pointed out in a very simple way like that was a life lesson I didn't see coming, and I love this series for that. Before, I would always have a reason to justify my doing something of importance to me. I can't just go buy a mandolin and attempt to learn to play it because it might be fun. There has to be a reason that sounds mature and responsible, right? Wrong. This show managed to remind me that there are times when it's okay, and possibly even the better option, to think more like a kid than an adult. The whole thing is done in such an adorable way too. I honestly felt for Nanaka through the whole series, watching her struggle with concepts that would boggle any kid if they were thrown into them, all while making the adults around her realize that they might be looking at it all wrong in the process.

17. Romeo no Aoi Sora

https://kitsu.io/anime/romeo-no-aoi-sora

And we're back with more World Masterpiece Theater action. This time it's a book I knew nothing about before I watched this, and one I'm realizing now that I never did get around to buying afterwards. I really must fix that. But yeah, I can say that I had a great time watching such a powerful story, with a great cast and a well executed ending. It was also a nice mini-group watch so there is that bit of fun to make sure this series sits up there as something memorable for me and the other two involved. There's just something that can't beat watching a series with some good friends.

16. Azumanga Daioh

https://kitsu.io/anime/azumanga-daioh

We'll surely be hearing about comedy a couple more times on this list. This one is a pretty charming series to watch though, and ranks with only a handful of other series where I've read the source material, I enjoyed it so much. I think what got me here is just how off the wall the comedy can be at times. The teachers are just nuts, but the students all have their own, err, quirks about them as well. It just all works out to this brand of insanity that draws you in with one thing and keeps you there with a dozen more. I also have to give it credit for being a 4-koma manga adaptation that doesn't feel like a ton of short comics tied together, while still being very true to the manga. It's weird how it pulled that off.

15. Macross 7

https://kitsu.io/anime/macross-7

Remember how I said we'd get back to music later. Well, here we are. I love music, so what better way to keep my attention than to base a series around the idea that music can stop evil and save the universe. And while I really want to acknowledge the entire Macross franchise here, I have to give special kudos to Macross 7, almost solely because it has the best soundtrack of the franchise, and a soundtrack in the top 5 of all anime I've ever seen. The tracks just rock, and fit well into the story as a whole. So well in fact, that one of the better tracks (in my opinion of course) has shown up in every Macross iteration since. I may be wrong, but I'm not sure anything from the original TV series managed to do that. Just a track from the movie, Do You Remember Love? (someone will surely prove me wrong on this, right?)

14. Super Sonico

https://kitsu.io/anime/super-sonico-the-animation

This is not on the list because of mindless T and A. This is on the list because it was the most unexpected slice of life miracle I've ever seen. Because it had a decent soundtrack. Because it devoted an entire episode to her pet cats. Because it knows how to take a character that looks like the ultimate fan-boy wet dream and make that one of the last things to cross your mind while watching it. Oh, and also because it has one of the best Christmas episodes in anime. If you haven't watched it because you think it's all about the fan-service, go watch it. If you still think I'm wrong, we can discuss it, but I think Episode 7 will be my winning card. Never have I been more surprised by the content of an episode than when that episode aired.

13. Steins;Gate

https://kitsu.io/anime/steins-gate

Time travel stories always fascinate me. If they're done especially well, I love them even more. While not the best time travel story I've ever come across (go read Tim Powers' novel, The Anubus Gates if you're curious), Steins;Gate is certainly very near the top of the list. With a very engaging cast and the kind of drama that I wish was present in any of the other series linked by the errant semicolon, I just have to keep coming back to this one. It was also one of my first anime when I really dove into the fandom a few years back and holds a bit of a nostalgia slot in my heart. Oh, and also, that soundtrack is just brilliant.

12. Nodame Cantabile

https://kitsu.io/anime/nodame-cantabile

Ah, Nodame Cantabile. This is actually the most recently watched anime to make this list. I honestly only competed it early this year. This one did so many things right for me though, so it easily made the list. To start, the music selection here is just about perfect for a show revolving around classical music. The choices weren't always super obvious picks, but they didn't get so obscure that a casual viewer would feel lost or bored. It was a mix of well known and not so much so, and being the huge music fanatic that I am, this was perfect. Add to this that Nodame is just so damn charming as a character and that the rest of the cast is so very enjoyable to watch interact, and you have something I could have easily plowed through in a couple of days. It was a real struggle not to fly through, instead really forcing myself to take some time with it. I'm so glad I did though. This show will not be forgotten by me or many that watched it.

11. Galaxy Express 999

https://kitsu.io/anime/galaxy-express-999

Okay, so I haven't actually finished this show yet. In fact, I've been watching it for nearly 3 years now and am only a smidge past the halfway point. So why is it on this list? Because it is that show that I can go to when I don't feel like watching anything else and just enjoy an episode in peace. There is an overarching story to the show, but for the most part, we only see that in the first couple episodes and brief reminders from the cast when something happens to remind us that this is why they are on the Galaxy Express, bound for the planet where Tetsuro can get a mechanical body for free. Otherwise, this show is just a lot of one-off stories, often with morals. This is where my love of the show comes in though (well, that, and the fact that I love Leiji Matsumoto's artistic style). I love these stories. They are not always complex, but they are very often surprising and unexpected, and told so very well. For a show from the late 70's, this one just blows me away sometimes, because I never think of it as a time when we'd get something like this. That's probably my bad western mindset towards animated shows of the time though, and I should be shamed for this. Still, this is a classic and I love it.

10. F

https://kitsu.io/anime/f

I wrote a big review on this series after I watched it, which I will link here.

https://kitsu.io/reviews/13194

The short version though, and why I love it so much, is that this is probably one of the best anime endings I've ever seen. The show is wild at times, and a bit unconventional in how it portrays the sport it's based around, but man, the rivalry between the main characters is just brilliant, and it ends so perfectly. I love it! I only wish this had a better fansub than it does. Someone really needs to fix this.

9. Aria

https://kitsu.io/anime/aria-the-animation

Wait, what!? Aria isn't number 1 anymore? You must be in shock over this if you know me and how long it's held that spot. Well, all I can say is that I really put a lot of thought into this list, and I realized something. I do really love Aria. It's a wonderful series with great stories, some of the best music in anime and a cast to die for. Still, I have 8 other shows that I would more quickly watch if given the choice. It sounds weird saying that, but that's how it is. My tastes have shifted a little and become more clear in the past year or so, and that's what moved Aria down the line. I love it for it's slice of life nature and the calm, peaceful stories it give us. It just doesn't have something else to really grab and hold me like other shows that pair in more drama or comedy, which seems to be where my tastes have gone. Still, I'll recommend this show to anyone that asks if I see it missing from their lists. It's a must watch, like every show in my top 10 (I will back this up if anyone dares question that statement).

8. Emma: A Victorian Romance

https://kitsu.io/anime/eikoku-koi-monogatari-emma

So, I really have a thing for British history and culture. It's one of my other big geek things besides music and anime. So of course, a show that feels like a mangaka tried to be Jane Austin for a while is obviously going to catch my attention. And as you can see, it was really, really good. Romance in anime is a genre unfortunately plagued by unfinished stories and plenty of bad tropes that we're all sick of. Emma takes a different track with it's Victorian romance styles, and I think it does it beautifully. The cast is very enjoyable, the story moves along properly and the romance is a wonderful thing to watch unfold. And of course, it has a proper ending! I also have to give a shout out to this series for great accuracy in historical detail. So many sites of old London town were brought to life here, which was a joy to see.

7. Nichijou

https://kitsu.io/anime/nichijou

And speaking of British culture, well, okay, Nichijou doesn't have any link to it. If ever there was a series that feels like I'm watching an anime rendition of Monty Python's Flying Circus though, this would be it. There are totally random side jokes and stories that go nowhere, jokes that start in one sketch and end up in another one, and a sort of humor that doesn't feel Japanese at all, aside from the setting. Maybe this is why, for the longest time, the only western release of this show was in Australia. Hmm? Anyways, this show makes me happy when I watch it, with much laughter included. The cast is something I can't even begin start praising and the art style is just amazing for a weekly show. If you haven't seen this yet, I dare ask you, “Why not!?”

6. Cross Game

https://kitsu.io/anime/cross-game

Best first episode ever! Simple as that. If you aren't hooked and ready for more by the end of that episode, you might as well hand in your anime fanboy ID card and find a new hobby. Seriously though, this show is just amazing, starting with that first episode, and just building from there. The cast is near perfection, the story is not nearly what you would expect from a sports anime and the culmination of the series just works so well. I honestly could not be more pleased with a show. Also, it has a song for drawing the cat and shows off fan art. How cool is that?

5. Eden of the East

https://kitsu.io/anime/eden-of-the-east

Eden of the East is a show I didn't really think about putting on my favorites for a long time. Then I realized I had been rewatching every year, and enjoying it just as much every time. I don't know exactly why I like it so much. It's just kindof become that show that I have a mood for, put on and have a good time for a couple days. I think it's just a combination of a fun cast and an interesting story with lots of movie references that I actually get. Then again, this could be another case of a series that I watched early on in my return to anime and it holds some nostalgic value. Either way, I think it's great.

4. Yawara!

https://kitsu.io/anime/yawara

I'm sure most would not pick this as their series of choice from Naoki Urasawa, but dammit, it's so good! And I don't even like Judo. But then I watched Yawara and found it to be the most interesting sport for a few months. Then again, this series isn't just here for making me like a sport I knew nothing about. It's here because it mixes that up with an intriguing romance plot and a great cast of characters that I'll never forget. Also, it did a great job of fleshing out side characters that I honestly didn't expect. It pleased me so much with two particular characters because one deserved the attention and the other grew so much from the bumbling idiot he started out as. It was just amazing to watch.

3. Working!!

https://kitsu.io/anime/working-1

You know those series you relate to because you've been there and done that. Working is that series for me. I mean, my food service jobs were nothing nearly as insane as this series, but I can relate so much to the things that happen at Wagnaria. The cast encompass so many of the types of people that I've dealt with, only with the insanity knob turned to 11. This series also gets a nod from me for having some of the catchiest opening themes I've ever seen. Not the best, mind you, but damn if I didn't watch them every freaking time.

2. Maison Ikkoku

https://kitsu.io/anime/maison-ikkoku

Right, now we're in to the really tricky entry for me. I really, really wanted this to be number 1. I loved so much about this series when I watched it. I relate so much to Godai and his struggles, more so than nearly any other anime character I can think of with the possible exception of Anna in When Marnie Was There (but that's a whole other list). I understand what it's like to be in a crappy living situation with people that drive you up the wall on a daily basis with no regard for your personal space. I know the struggles of trying to make it through college. And like a lot of us, I understand the desires love gives us, even when they seem unrealistic and someone else is trying to get the same girl you want (granted, my experience with this one ended up much worse in the end, but yeah). These alone are big reasons why I absolutely love the series. But there's more. The cast is just a joy to watch, from the most annoying characters on up to all of my favorites. There is plenty of off the wall comedy like any good Rumiko Takahashi series, but there is so much heart behind her work, and nowhere else do I see that than in this series. It is the perfect romantic comedy as far as I'm concerned, and a joy to watch through. This is also the only anime, because it's out of print in the west, that I would more than willingly drop the money to buy on DVD (that price currently being well beyond $1000 last I checked). That's how much I love this show. It would be number 1, except that number 1 happens to be...

1. Ichigo Mashimaro

https://kitsu.io/anime/ichigo-mashimaro

Remember way back in the honorable mentions section, how I talked about that whole single parent slice of life subgenre that I love so much? Well, this series is kinda one of those. I mean, not totally since there is some indication that there are parents around. We never see them though, so this show is really all about an older sibling taking care of her younger sister and her friends. Of course, this group of characters works in such a way as to make sure that only the best possible comedy happens whenever possible. I can't even describe the joy it gives me in these moments. The jokes just have me in stitches. But there is an equal amount of heart in the show as well. It still has my absolute favorite Christmas episode ever. For all the jokes in that episode, the innocence it portrays and the care that most of the characters go to to protect that is just a thing of beauty. So yes, I love this show. Often times, it is the show that I drag out first when someone asks for a recommendation, and I've yet to get anything but a good response when said persons finish the show. And if that's not enough to show my love, well then, how about this. This is the only anime that I own twice. I bought a DVD box set back when it was still out of print, and then I bought a copy of the Blurays when Sentai Filmworks picked it up last year. I have not gone to the trouble to do this kind of upgrade for any other series, and probably will not, even though I have many series that I can now upgrade. This is the only one I see a reason to have done so. And believe me, it was so worth it! It feels so great to finally have the OVAs for this series too.

And with that, it looks like we're done. If you made it this far, I really want to thank you for reading all of that (unless you skimmed through it all, then shame on you, I put a lot of work into this and now you hurt my feelings). While this is of course, only my list, I'm feeling brave enough to ask what you guys think? Do you agree with anything? Disagree with a reason better than “It's Shit!” or any other mean spirited remark? Should I do a list like this for movies or OVAs? Whatever it is, I'd love to hear it. So thanks again, and take care!

[theanimewarren]

Okay, it’s Wednesday, or well, yeah, it’s really Tuesday night (as I’m writing this anyways), which is when I usually prep these posts for the next day. I’m exhausted from work like I haven’t been in quite a while though, so this is a total cop-out post this week. But everyone likes the opening theme to Cowboy Bebop right? So here we have a wonderful live rendition for your listening pleasure. Now to get some much needed sleep and pray tomorrow is a better day. See you later, space cowboy!

[theanimewarren]

Aniplex USA Offers Garden of Sinners on Standard Blu-ray Disc

New set with all 8 films ships on November 10

I’m very conflicted on this. I’m glad to know that I have another chance to buy these movies (the DVDs sold out literally 2 days before I had the money to buy them). But I’m pissed at the price. $400 is a ton of money and even if I can get it at the cheaper price they mention in the article ($320 or so), it’s still pretty insane for a standard edition release. But I guess this is Aniplex so I shouldn’t be surprised. I just feel like this should be somewhere in the $150 to $200 range at most. Over $300 is really pushing it.

[theanimewarren]

Summer Season 2015 midpoint review

Alright, it’s mid-season so it’s time to take a look at what I’ve been watching and get some thoughts on the shows while we’re at it. Now this is probably going to be a fairly long post since I’ve at least tried every show this season. Not to say I’ve continued all of them, but there are still quite a few of them to go through because I have no life, hehe. So on we go, this season in alphabetical order.

Akagami no Shirayuki-hime - I’m sure a lot of people are going to be shocked, but I don’t overly like this show. It well made and has decent writing, but I’m really pretty bored with it. I’m not sure why this is. It just doesn’t do anything for me I guess.

Aoharu x Kikanjuu - This could be a really great show. It really could. The pacing is atrocious though. I know it’s only a one cour show, but damn, I feel like I’ve been skipping around a much longer series to catch the good bits. This thing could easily be fleshed out into a longer show without suffering for it, I think. Instead we have a decent show being rushed to the point that it’s really rather annoying.

Arslan Senki - Yeah, we’ve spent most of this half of the series on a sort of side quest storyline. This isn’t to say it was a bad storyline, but here at the end of it, I’ve almost forgotten where the show was going beforehand. There are still some issues with the animation and use of 3D lingering as well, but I’ll leave that alone for now.

Baby Steps Season 2 - Alright, time for some good comments. Baby Steps is awesome! It’s done everything right. Good story. Great characters. Great animation. Catchy theme song still here. Yeah, there is nothing wrong with it except that more people need to be watching it. You’re missing out!

Bikini Warriors - Okay, so I thought this was going to be the show I absolutely hated this season. Guess what? It’s not half bad. The Dragon Quest parody is fairly heavy and ever present which I like. Add in some halfway decent jokes pertaining to RPGs (the whole bit about stealing useful items from the homes of the townspeople was pretty ingenious to say the least) and I’m actually a happy guy. I know the fanservice is very heavy in this one, but if you can see past it, the jokes are well worth the 4 minutes a week most of the time.

Charlotte - Hype is destroying this one for me. Everyone was all excited because it was the coming together of some great minds. Sadly, I’m not totally seeing it. Granted, we’re sitting on a cliffhanger that can make or break the series when we come back next week. Right now though, this is definitely questionable. It has some decent ideas and characters that I can appreciate at times. But it’s not anime of the season by any means.

Danchigai - This ones kinda cute at times, but there isn’t a lot to it. If you want to sneak another short in though, I suppose you could do worse though.

Gakkou Gurashi - Now here we have a serious contender for my anime of the season (and remember, I never consider season 2+ of a show a contender so that should eliminate one other show on this list from the running). If you haven’t seen it already all I can say is that first episode will tell you whether this is for you or not. I personally think it’s a brilliant show though, and well worth checking out right now.

Gangsta - I’m really trying to make myself like this show, but I can already tell I don’t. It’s interesting to a point, but in a lot of ways it’s just not my thing, making it a very hard watch.

Gate - So I noticed something about this after a couple episodes. It reminds me, in style of animation mostly, but also just in general feel sometimes, of SAO. And yeah, it’s A-1 Pictures so that makes sense really. But as much as I’m enjoying this show, it does have that feeling that it’s being marketed towards that particular fanbase. I’m not sure if this is a good or bad thing yet though.

Himouto! Umaru-chan - I really jumped all over the first episode for feeling like it was a short that was stretched far too long. Umaru-chan has really grown on me over the past few episodes though. It’s not anything grand, but I’ll be damned if it’s not one of the most entertaining shows this season. Just lots of fun to be had and a super catchy opening theme too.

Jitsu wa Watashi wa - Here we have another one that I’m oddly enjoying. I know it’s a pretty basic harem with a twist designed to sell. But the characters are quirky in a way that makes me smile and the situations are pretty funny at times.

Joukamachi no Dandelion - How I haven’t dropped this one, I’ll never know. It’s not all that good. The thing that gets me, I think anyways, is just the cute factor some of the characters have. But some of them drive me up the wall too.

Kyoukai no Rinne - It’s time to check back in with this one. We’ve suffered through some pretty redundant storylines and blatant ripoff ideas from previous Rumiko Takahashi universes. The only thing that keeps me watching in fact, is looking for these similarities, nods and ripoffs. I just about lost my shit over spotting an apron from Maison Ikkoku a while back and just laugh at how many characters feel like they are lifted from nearly every series she’s done. If you’ve never seen an adaptation of one of her works, this is probably a safe show, but otherwise it may very well annoy you to death.

Million Doll - This was cute when it started but I’m not totally sure where it’s going now. But hey, short anime tend to be full of problems so whatever.

Monster Musume no Iru Nichijou - I don’t think the term “Monster of the week” has ever applied in quite this way before, but that’s mostly how this show has been run. Every week (mostly) we’ve gotten a new girl and spent some time with her before moving on to the next one. That’s it. Is the manga the same way? Each book being a new monster girl to explore while the previous ones react? It’s not a bad show aside from that though. Very heavy ecchi though.

Non Non Biyori Repeat - Three shows this season are returning seasons of something I really love. And this is the second of those three (Baby Steps was the first). I’m not even sure how to put my love of this show into words though. It’s just adorable and funny and heartwarming and makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. If you haven’t watched this series, all I can say is “Why not?”

Okusama ga Seito Kaichou - Someone posted early on that this show was a hentai in disguise. I disagree. It has nudity, yes. It has some very ecchi moments, yes. It has not had any intercourse shown. It has not delved deeply into any area that I could even begin to call hentai. It’s just very perverted at times. And I’m okay with that. It’s not a bad short.

Ore Monogatari - So nearing the 3/4 mark here, the show is as adorable as ever. I’m seeing a bit of a problem though. While the characters are progressing, the plot itself isn’t doing so to nearly the same degree. The episodes feel very formulated to introduce some problem for Takeo to overcome so that Yamato and he can be even more happy in their relationship. This is fine except that it feels like it’s done in almost the same fashion every week. I dunno. I like the show, but it’s almost repetitive at this point and I almost want to see some heavy drama to break it up a little.

Overlord - I like me a good “trapped in a video game” anime. This one has it’s own take on it that I’m finding interesting. But at the same time, something is off that I can’t quite put my finger on. Like there is going to be some awful twist for no reason or some other plot device that will totally mess up the feel of the show. I dunno.

Rokka no Yuusha - This is one I feel is a little underrated this season. It’s got an interesting story that has a cool setting and some fairly decent writing. The only big strike is the heavy use of 3D in the show. I could really do without it, but I can overlook it for the story.

Shimoneta - Nothing beats an anime about fighting censorship that loaded with censorship. I like the show, but damn, sometimes it’s kinda frustrating to watch when the jokes get destroyed by a huge image over a gesture or bleeping words to the point that you can’t even guess them by way of context (this is probably an issue with the official subs more than the actual voice acting). I can only hope that some of this goes away in the Bluray release because I do honestly like what I can see of the show. Also, gotta love that they actually gave directions on how to make lube and sex toys at one point, hehe.

Sore ga Seiyuu - Is anyone else confused as to how this went from a show about voice actors to a show about the making of an idol group? I mean, I like it, and I’m shocked that Gonzo made this. But where the hell is this story going?

Wakaba Girl - And the award for best short this season goes to Wakaba Girl. This is just too adorable and I really look forward to seeing it every week. I know it’s pretty simple, but there’s just something about watching a character who is so clueless about the real world learning about it.

Wakako-Zake - It’s about eating food after a long day at work. That’s it. For whatever reason though, I find it kinda relaxing.

Working Season 3 - And last, but certainly not least, is the glorious return of Working! I absolutely love the humor of this series and I’m so glad to see it returned after nearly 4 years for a third season. I only hope that this is the season that concludes a couple of very important storylines. There are some great relationships that need to be decided upon and characters that need to find closure.

And of course, there are the things I dropped or put on hold too...

Kurayami Santa - I love the style of this show. Sadly, no one picked up this short and even finding fansubs is near impossible. I hope that changes at some point, but it’s on hold until that happens.

Suzakinishi the Animation - This is on hold with a tentative drop. The subs are near impossible to find and really, it’s just not that funny anyways.

Chaos Dragon - I hear this got better, but I just couldn’t get beyond the middle of the second episode. The plot is uninteresting and the use of 3D just destroys my desire to appreciate the animation.

Classroom Crisis - The story was interesting at first. But after the end of the first episode, where I thought the show was going ended up not being where it was going. Where it was going was not somewhere I wanted to go. And I tried, but again, just not my thing.

God Eater - I can get behind being experimental with animation sometimes. This is probably not the place to do it though. This being a show about a video game franchise, I would think you’d want to keep the style close to said game. But no, it just looks weird instead. And I’ve played the game in the past, so I already knew the storyline wasn’t anything I was interested in watching.

Makura no Danshi - This is probably the creepiest show I’ve seen in a while. It talks to you. And it’s a man who I guess is supposed to be a replacement for a pillow? I really don’t know. It’s weird and I don’t mean in a good way.

Prison School - Yeah, definitely not my thing. I don’t think I even made it the whole first episode. It just turned me off with whatever it was trying to do.

Ranpo Kitan: Game of Laplace - This is another one where I’ve heard it got better, but the first two episodes just didn’t grab me at all so away it went. Too bad too because I kinda liked the opening theme for this one for some reason.

Sky Wizards Academy - It’s Shit! Err, yeah, dunno what else to say to this one. It’s formulaic and does nothing new or interesting enough to warrant watching it.

Ushio to Tora - Yes, I dropped this. I don’t find it entertaining. I find it to be barrel scrapping to find an idea. There were a TON of OVAs back in the day that just kinda ended up being forgotten. This was one of them. And I’m sure there is a reason it was forgotten for so long. I haven’t seen the original to compare or anything, but this new incarnation just felt like it boasted a lot of anime tropes from days gone by that are gone for a reason. They aren’t fresh or funny anymore. And for an older viewer like me, that can be a much bigger problem. If they bring this style back, it really needs to be done well or it can feel very off-putting and wrong.

Venus Project: Climax - I’m confused by this show because I keep finding live action specials for it, but the actual episodes keep evading me (except the first one for some reason). I presume they’ve been airing this whole time, but I don’t know.

And that’s about all I have to say about this season so far. Here’s hoping things end well though. And may I have better judgment to not watch everything next season, hehe.

[theanimewarren]

Hey everyone! I’ve got a real oldie for you guys today, courtesy of the JList blog and it’s wealth of random information. Ue o Muite Arukou, originally by Kyu Sakamoto, is a curious song that stands to this day as the only Japanese language song ever to top the charts in the US. It was renamed Sukiyaki here so that we could more easily say it’s name apparently, which I guess goes with the times since we’re talking 1963. But anyways, much like the blog that introduced me to this song, there’s a bit of a reason I’m posting this song today. It marks the 30th anniversary of the deadliest plane crash in Japan’s history that took the life of this great performer along with 519 others. It was truly a very tragic event and something that will not be forgotten.

[theanimewarren]

Get Steins;Gate's Divergence Meter as a Nixie Tube Clock

Okabe's Divergence Meter is used in the series to help him return to his original world line by monitoring the differences in his current reality. The...

So much want.

[theanimewarren]

So who’s in the mood for something a little different this week? I know I am. I kinda got into all sorts of synthesizer based music the other day (mostly older Krautrock and early ambient stuff) and thought, how can I possibly bring this to my Japan related blog posts? Simple answer, electro-classical mastermind Isao Tomita. The song is El Concierto de Arajuez, which I honestly know nothing about, but it’s very relaxing in this electronic rendition dating back to the mid 70′s. It retains it’s classical feel while taking a step into space rock at the same time, which works oddly well all considering. The length can be a bit daunting (just over 23 minutes long), but if you want some relaxing background music while you catch up on your favorite manga, this is really a pretty sweet choice, so I hope someone out there enjoys it. And until next week, I hope you all have a Kosmic Wednesday!

[theanimewarren]

Area 88 OVA review

Every so often I come across something that just screams "of it's time." A couple weeks ago I had such an incident. In another trade-off with a good friend of mine, I ended up watching an anime OVA from the late 80's that fits "of it's time" to a T. Area 88.

Now, I grew up in the late 80's and early 90's, so I remember a time when there were quite a few movies that had a very military bent to them. Things like Rambo and Top Gun (and later on, a personal guilty pleasure of mine, Hot Shots). I know there were tons of others as well, but really, it was just one of those things at the time. Movies about war, or at least battles in far off countries for the most part. And I'm no sociologist, so I can't dig deep into why there was such a surge in the popularity of them at the time, but you had this fascination, at least for men I think, to see fierce fighting in the jungles of Asia and South America, or cool planes dog-fighting or whatever it might have been. As a kid, this was cool. I had friends who were obsessed with tanks and planes and guns and whatnot. I suppose that still exists today, but it doesn't feel the same to me now as those times did then.

But anyways, I'm going off on a tangent. Area 88 is a curious tale about Shin Kazama, a young man who has, until recently, been learning to be a pilot for a commercial airline in Japan. One night while out drinking with a friend, he is shanghaied into the Arslan Foreign Legion (no, not that Arslan) Air Force to help fight in that countries civil war. Of course, he wants out like any sane person would, but there are only 3 ways out. Serve faithfully for 3 years, pay off your contract to the amount of 1.5 million dollars, or desert. The rest of the story is a trip through this experience with some political and business dealings that relate to the greater plot thrown in for good measure.

As a story, it's not bad. It really does fit it's time though. Lots of military drama with cool dogfight action that will have anyone who loves these things drooling for more. I can’t say a whole lot for it being deep, but I think that’s just me not really being into this sort of thing much anymore. It works well and can be enjoyable to the right person. The thing that makes the story work well at all is really the character backstories, though there isn’t a ton of this and the best ones belong to side characters we don’t always spend a lot of time with. Being a mercenary band, you get a pretty wide range of guys out in the desert.

What really sells this and makes it worth checking out though, is the amazing animation. The scenes with lots of talking or character interaction are pretty average for the time obviously, but when you cut to the battles in the sky, oh man, that is some of the most awesome stuff I’ve seen come out of 80‘s anime. It’s animation like this that makes me feel a bit sad for the fact that 3D has probably taken over any hope of seeing something this cool again anytime soon. And pair it up with some great music for the time period and you’ve got something special. We all know I love me some good music, and this series delivers pretty well. Gotta love the opening and ending themes as well. They fit right in with the times and bring you in and out of the show perfectly.

So overall, while I will admit this did get kinda boring at times, there was enough there to keep me watching till the end. Granted it’s just an OVA so it’s not overly long to begin with. Still, it’s a decent ride and worthy of checking out if you have a couple hours to spend. Maybe a lazy Saturday afternoon. Right now, Area 88 is not available physically anywhere so you’ll have to scope out some old DVD or VHS copies (or scour the Internet perhaps).

And, as always, thank you for taking the time to read this review. If you enjoyed it, please consider leaving a like or reblog. If you’d like to see more, also consider following the blog and if you have any questions of comments, please feel free to shoot them my way and I’ll be sure to reply as soon as possible. So until next time, じゃあね

Apologies for the watermark on this video, but I couldn’t find a decent preview aside from this one.

[theanimewarren]

Greetings on this random Wednesday morning in July. It’s been a good while so I suppose it’s time to plug some Rocky Chack again. Of course I seem to like the songs that are fairly hard to even find, but that makes this more fun than putting up Ringo Biyori, the obvious song most anime fans will recognize from the end of Spice and Wolf. Instead, let’s hear it for And You, a beautiful song that might be a B-side to something (I have no idea honestly). But yeah, I hope you all enjoy it and have a great midweek.

[theanimewarren]

Okay, so I deserve a penalty for letting this slip. I didn’t even realize it was Wednesday till a few minutes ago. So yeah, in honor of the penalty, I have to go with something from The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, and what better choice than this gloriously put together full video for God Knows.

Also, I know the blog hasn’t had much happening lately, but I’ve got like three reviews I need to write and a vacation I need to pack for, so knowing myself, there probably won’t be anything up till early next week. I’ll see what I can do though (one review is prettymuch going to write itself so that might crop up before I leave, but no promises because I know I’m a lazy bastard sometimes). In the mean time, have a great week guys!

[kodanshamanga]

The first teaser has been released for Noragami season 2 on http://noragami-anime.net/! Watch here: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=k8XRebQYeaw&feature=youtu.be

[theanimewarren]

Okay, I’m hyped now.

[theanimewarren]

Anime Distribution Rant/Ramble

I’m feeling a little rant/ramble coming on in regards to anime DVD/Bluray distribution in American right now. So if you don’t care or just aren’t concerned, now’s your chance to skip past this to the next thing.

Alright, anyone left that doesn’t want to read this? No? Good. On we go.

Now I’m fairly new to the whole anime thing. I’ve been watching and collecting consistently for only a couple years now. In that time though, I’ve actually amassed quite a large collection of anime. Enough to really get a somewhat decent handle on how the major companies that bring us our anime work.

Funimation is the most obvious one. They bring us a good deal of shows, though honestly they tend to stick with safe bets, rarely going for the oddball show anymore. They do dub just about everything they get too, which some people like so that’s a plus as well. We see limited editions from them occasionally, but they make a good point of also releasing a regular edition for those who don’t have the money to dump on all the bells and whistles. Add in their S.A.V.E. releases and anime classics for older titles they still have the rights too and you have a fairly decent set-up for the fans.

Sentai Filmworks is the other big company when it comes to anime. Their releases are a lot more bare-bones than Funimation, and at times a bit pricier than they should be, but they do get some of the more offbeat titles that probably wouldn’t make it here otherwise. Their dubs aren’t my cup of tea and some would call them awful, but they do seem to dub about half the shows they get, which again, is nice for the fans that want that. To my knowledge, they have only done limited edition releases a couple times ever, though they are great about going all out on those so that was nice.

Between Funimation and Sentai, we probably get most of our anime releases through them right now, and I’m all for them since they are quite good to the fans overall. Now, below them we have five other companies that are vying for a piece of the pie; Aniplex, NIS America, VIZ Media, Nozomi Entertainment and a new entry, Pony Canyon.

Aniplex of America has long been a source of annoyance for many fans with their stupidly expensive releases. Granted, the shows they get, while favorites of the hardcore fans, probably don’t always sell well otherwise (except for Sword Art Online and Kill la Kill which did get slightly cheaper regular edition releases). This is still a problem though as their releases are either wildly expensive Bluray sets, often broken down into volumes of thee to five episodes or DVD-only sets that will probably never see a high-def release now. This last point with DVD-only releases is a huge point for me personally as I’ve come to enjoy my shows in higher definition and not getting that after having watched something in high-def when it’s airing here really bugs me. Well that and the whole “by the volume” selling thing. Funimation and Sentai have really gotten me to not be used to this as a marketing strategy. But I’ll get back to this later.

NIS America I have kindof a love/hate relationship with. I like that all of their shows are limited edition releases since they aren’t insanely expensive (unless you have to buy one second market). The shows they get are often times niche titles, which is kinda fun as I’m someone who looks for these sorts of shows over the wildly popular ones most of the time. The only strikes I really have against them are the shape of the limited edition boxes as they don’t display well or fit on shelves well with regular cases (I’m a bit OCD so this is a bigger issue for me than it probably needs to be). Also, though not a point for me really, but they don’t dub anything. Still, I can back this company and often buy their releases.

VIZ Media is one I’ve only really dealt with a couple times so I don’t have a ton to say about them. What I’ve bought from them is on a volume release system, but it’s also a very long series so the volumes still have a seasons worth of shows on it. They’ve also been good, at least with the Ranma 1/2 and Sailor Moon releases that I’ve bought, about releasing both limited and regular editions, and about making a new dub for Sailor Moon. They tend to stick to licenses they’ve had for years though, so I don’t see them often picking up new shows (or at least, not any that I’ve noticed).

Nozomi Entertainment is the DVD branch of Rightstufanime.com and honestly, they are probably my favorite of the smaller companies trying to sneak into the anime market. They get interesting shows AND make reasonably priced releases. The only thing that kinda sucks, and it looks like they’re slowly changing this, is that they have been DVD-only this whole time. Granted, most of their shows are old enough that they don’t really need to be high-def, but we’ll be seeing a change with that soon I think.

Now, the last one, Pony Canyon, is the one that has managed to surpass my hatred for Aniplex of America, and is part of why I’ve typed this up today. They are a total new-comer to the anime market in America. I just hate their marketing method so far. Like Aniplex, they are releasing shows in volumes of three to five episodes a piece, and again, like Aniplex, they are charging extraordinary amounts of money for these sets. The thing that gets me is that these are prices for shows that nobody should be paying that much for. Fans might dump this kind of money on something big like Sword Art Online or Bakamonogatari (I know I did). The same is not going to be true for something like Etotama. I watched it while it was airing, and I’d be hard pressed to buy that show as a full season for a Sentai type price. The same is true of the other two shows they’ve released (Yuuki Yuuna is a Hero and The Bookstore in the Electric Town). Maybe this is a personal thing on my part, but it just feels like Pony Canyon doesn’t know their market at all and are instead just throwing whatever they can out there to see what happens. I just feel fortunate that so far they haven’t gotten shows that I actually want to watch that badly, but at the same time, I don’t think I’ve ever wanted to see a company fail so badly in my life (well, except for some of my previous employers but that’s another post, hehe). May they never get the rights to anything worthwhile and further destroy the wallets of fans who could be spending that money on shows more deserving of those wads of cash, or better yet, just more shows in general.

***side note: I’m aware that there are many other companies releasing anime here, but they are either much smaller companies, subsidiaries of these companies or companies that I just haven’t personally dealt with enough to have an opinion on yet (AnimEigo, this means you)***

[theanimewarren]

Happy Wednesday Everyone! I don’t have a lot to say this week. I’ve been watching more anime that any person in their right mind probably should, but oh well, I love it! Summer season is starting to show what it’s got (and what should be avoided like the plague in a couple cases) and I’m on a major run through Maison Ikkoku right now, so spirits are high as the end of that draws near too. But in the mean time I give you an awesome track from the Slayers movie (the first one if memory serves). Gotta love those 90′s beats so here’s hoping they help you get your groove on on today!

[theanimewarren]

Publish Tezuka's "Storm Fairy" & reprint "Unico"

We'd like to translate, localize, and publish Osamu Tezuka's shojo manga "Storm Fairy" with your help. We also want to reprint "Unico"!

I’ve been slacking on the Kickstarter love lately, but with less than a week to go, this is still a little under $3500 from the Unico reprint stretch goal. As someone whose first actual anime was a Unico movie, I would absolutely love to see this one met. So if you haven’t already done so, please check this one out and consider picking up some classic manga from a true legend. Most of their previous releases are available as add-ons too if you missed their Kickstarter campaigns.

[rightstufanime]

Tamayura: Hitotose is now available for pre-order!

Check it out at: http://www.rightstufanime.com/Tamayura-Hitotose-DVD

[theanimewarren]

I’m really looking forward to this release. I hope it does indeed have the full 4 episode OVA as well though, as this show really needs it to be watched properly. Also hoping the second season will come along if sales do well for this.

[theanimewarren]

Hey everyone. I’ve got something a little different for the Wednesday music this week. A couple of good friends of mine had a pretty rough weekend, so I want to dedicate a video for them. Now granted, I speak basically no Japanese, so finding a song for that is damn hard, but I think this one works rather well in content and title. So we have Mr. Children singing Ashioto - Be Strong. So KNO and Doaks, I again offer my condolences and as the title of the song states, be strong.

[theanimewarren]

Still Walking review

It’s been a good while since I’ve done a review now, and an even longer while since the review topic has been a non-anime film from Japan. I’d really like to change that today though. I know not many people know this, but I have a bit of an interest in foreign films. It’s not one I actually get the time to really dive into much though. Like anime, it’s not a cheap hobby when you want to see some of the better titles. Criterion Collection in particular have a pretty tight hold on their films and I will tell you right now, they are very pricey. Sometimes though, I will come across deals. A recent sale at my local Barnes and Noble for instance scored me tons of great films at half off (bringing the prices down into the range of most normal Bluray movies). So don’t be surprised to see some more film reviews in the near future. But anyways, on to the review.

The film today is called Still Walking (or 歩いても 歩いても or Aruitemo aruitemo if you’d like the Japanese title). I’d almost call it a slice of life film as it’s a look at the coming together of the Yokoyama family for a day to remember the passing of the eldest son 4 years previously. We start with the parents entertaining their daughter and her family while we wait for the arrival of the second son and his new family. There is tension as he is married to a widow with a young son, a prospect not favored by his father, a retired doctor. As they arrive, we are treated to a day of this family together going through meals, reminiscing and at times, bickering. This was an interesting treat as it really shows that to some extent, family life is something that almost transcends borders. I’ve seen many of the types of situations in this film at my own families gatherings as well as those of friends and coworkers.

As a whole story, this film does a marvelous job of making the whole time feel like you’re peering into this families life. Nothing is perfect and like any family, it is often the small things that will spark a mood, for good or ill. It’s also unique for me as it’s the first film I’ve seen that takes place in Japan in our own time, so I’m getting to see some bits of their culture for the first time in person with a sense of reality. A real visit to a grave site and real family practices around a small shrine in the home. Even simple things like the collection of slippers near the front door caught my eye. I’ve seen them all in anime numerous times, but somehow this was different.

To speak about the acting, I just have to commend the whole cast. Everyone feels like a real member of this family and if I didn’t know any better, I’d probably believe they were related. Hiroshi Abe in particular plays the second sons role splendidly. Being the outcast of the family can not be an easy role to portray and he pulls it off with an air of someone who doesn’t like it, but has come to accept it. The only actor who kinda put me off was You (yes, that’s her credited name) as the daughter of the family. She was still great, but her voice got to me at times as she sounds less like a real person than the rest and more like a character out of an anime. I mean this more in the tone of her voice than the overall acting. It was good but just kinda off, if that makes any sense.

There is very little actual music in this movie with most of the sounds being those of a full house living it’s life. When we do get some music though, it’s very much background and not meant to be listened to in great detail. It’s there for the mood, and works beautifully in that regard.

Overall, I found Still Walking to be peaceful film that does a great job of portraying the family structure in Japan. Granted this is definitely a well off family, but that doesn’t make them perfect, and that imperfection is what makes the movie shine. Speaking as an anime fan, I can say that if you like a good slice of life, this is probably a great film for you to consider checking out. I suppose it would do well with anyone that likes these more indie-type films about families or character study movies as well. It’s a wonderful film and well worth the time spent to watch it. Currently it’s available on DVD and Bluray from Criterion Collection.

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