Private Entry
Private Entry
May 26th, 2011
The Real Top 10 Coolest Anime Girls
Anime Relations: Cowboy Bebop, One Piece, Koukaku Kidoutai, Hana yori Dango, Dirty Pair, Ichigo Mashimaro, Black Lagoon, Code Geass: Hangyaku no Lelouch, Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann, Shugo Chara!, Mahou Shoujo Madoka★Magica
One of my daily pastimes is to troll around the content posted on Sankaku Complex. This often fills me with a mix of amusement, shock, and abject horror. Top 10 lists are always a favorite, and I particularly enjoy the Johnny-come-lately domination of many of them as fans either have short memories or simply don't know any better because all they have seen is some of the modern tripe that's aired over the past few years. Though I think I find this list interesting for the obvious omissions more than those included.
For starters, here is the original post I am referring to. So lets take a look at it:
In the interest of full disclosure I should say I have not seen all the anime on this list to their completion. Though I have seen most of them. Lets start with WTF? section of this list, which is sadly, most of it. The biggest wart is No. 1, Homura Akemi. Really Madoka fans need to check themselves. Are you serious? My only explanation is that shes from a recent Shaft project and she has a vagina, which seems to automatically qualify her for this list? Really I should finish the rest of Madoka someday, as soon as the fanboys shut the fuck up about it for 5 minutes. Others from anime I have not finished/seen that I have a hard time accepting: Sheryl Nome, Seako, and something called Cure Mint. Is there really a Precure character on a Coolest girl list? Of the stuff I have seen; Seraphim for this years Zombie series is just your average run of the mill boob girl. I don't understand whats so special about her? Every season has one... is she here because shes the most recent one in peoples memory? Are you a goldfish? Use your brains people! Now we come to Senjouhara... not really surprising shes here, she might have been number 1 last year using the Shaft fanboy formula. I really like Hitagi too, but to be honest she really wasn't featured in the anime enough to be a really exceptional character. But I can at least accept that she should be "in the conversation". I can also understand Saber's inclusion, given her popularity, and I also considered her for my own list. Too a lesser degree I feel the same about Biribiri, but To aru no index was far to ordinary of a series and Mikoto was not a memorable character to be in a serious discussion for a list of this sort.
So here we go with my own ranking. First I should set some rules for how I made my decisions. Obviously, I have to have seen the anime in question, I know that seems like an obvious comment but if you are reading this and wondering why I didn't include "x" well I may just not have seen it yet. Next is something that is up to debate, what exactly is "cool". For me cool is someone you want to be like or look up to. But it can also be someone who is just badass, an independent woman, and someone who holds their own in a world of men.
1. Revy (Black Lagoon)
For me this is the biggest no-brainer ever. How Revy failed to make the original list completely invalidates it. Revy is not your typical anime character, which is probably why she isn't beloved by the otaku masses. She's a uncouth, tattooed, chain smoking killer. She is not cute or moe and she would just as soon kill you as save you. If you were going to design the ultimate female action hero icon, Revy is your template.
2. Major Mokoto Kusanagi (Ghost in the Shell)
The Major is one of the original girl bad-asses. She is really the only character listed on the original list that I absolutely 100% agree with. Kusanagi is not the really the scary personality someone like Revy is but she is a more than capable action heroine.
3. Nico Robin (One Piece)
The streak of strong women continues with a bit of a chance. Robin, unlike the first two on my list is the first true hottie! For me she was one of the main reasons I ended up really falling in love with One Piece. She is a rare character to be both a villainess and a heroine in the story. She also assumes a bit of that older sister role to the crew of One Piece. But what really sets her apart from most characters is her own personal history and back-story. For a shounen series I find it rare for a character to have such an interesting personal history that actually manages to be what it is portrayed, tragic and heartbreaking.
4. Amu Hinamori (Shugo Chara)
OMG you mean I put a character from a Mahou Shoujo aimed at preteen girls on my list? Well Amu is known throughout her school as Cool & Spicy! But really what makes Amu so special is whats on the inside. Shes not really that cool or confident, in fact shes just as insecure as any of us at her age. Confused and intimidated by love and boys. She is just like all of us! Yet she manages to persevere through everything that she faces. That makes her inspirational and real. And that is what also makes her cool.
5. Faye Valentine (Cowboy Bebop)
I will always have a soft spot in my heart for Faye. She was one of the first anime characters I can really remember and I always thought she was the very definition of sophisticated cool. She is super sexy, independent, treacherous, but in the end when the chips are down you can count on her to get the job done. She doesn't feel as "real" of an action heroine as someone like the Major or Revy, and I kind of liken her to an Angelina Jolie action role. Just a little too hot to be a believable tough woman. An iconic character none-the-less.
6. Yoko Littner (Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann)
I think Yoko is the hottest character ever drawn in anime. She's got eye popping dimensions and a sexy outfit but never feels like she is just another implausible anime cliche. She is cool because she holds her own in a cast dominated by men and uber macho testosterone filled manliness. Yoko isn't like most girls in an action show, damsels in distress to be saved by the hero, she kicks butt and is really the only character who's brains have not been completely baked away.
7. Nobue Itou (Ichigo Mashimaro)
Why is this moe blob on my list your say?! Because Nobue is like that really cool and awesome older sister that everyone wishes they had. She kind of part mother and part best friend. I think I feel extra attached to someone like Nobue because I had an older brother who was 10 years older than me, alot like she is with her own little sister. I think its a very different and special relationship than with a sibling that is closer to your own age.
8. The Dirty Pair - Kei and Yuri (Dirty Pair)
These two are really overlooked by modern fans because of the age of this series. But trust me when I say that the Dirty Pair is one of the most stylish and cool anime series I have ever seen. Every action girl that has appeared since owes at least something to Kei and Yuri, and yes that includes all the women who precede them on this list.
9. Kallen Stadtfeld (Code Geass)
I really loved Kallen! She is alot like other cool leading ladies I have enjoyed. Part Yoko and part Faye, I always felt she was one of the most interesting and complex characters in Code Geass. Which is saying something since a lot of the series characters were pretty thin and ridiculous.
10. Tsukushi Makino (Hana Yori Dango)
At first glance one might wonder why Tsukushi is on this list. She doesn't look particularly cool. She's an average normal every day girl and not particularly cute or beautiful. Shes not an action heroine. So what is there to admire so much? Because she is REAL and in a real world situation if the chips were down and you really needed a friend you couldn't do better than Tsukushi. What she manages to overcome in her story and still manages to keep her head up and not fall into despair makes her an inspiration to us all. I really think she is the most amazing character I have ever experienced in anime or manga.
Well that's it! Hope you enjoyed my list and please leave a comment with your thoughts. I know I have left out other deserving candidates but I really believe that of the stuff I have seen to date, these characters define the word cool for me. Thanks for reading!
For starters, here is the original post I am referring to. So lets take a look at it:
In the interest of full disclosure I should say I have not seen all the anime on this list to their completion. Though I have seen most of them. Lets start with WTF? section of this list, which is sadly, most of it. The biggest wart is No. 1, Homura Akemi. Really Madoka fans need to check themselves. Are you serious? My only explanation is that shes from a recent Shaft project and she has a vagina, which seems to automatically qualify her for this list? Really I should finish the rest of Madoka someday, as soon as the fanboys shut the fuck up about it for 5 minutes. Others from anime I have not finished/seen that I have a hard time accepting: Sheryl Nome, Seako, and something called Cure Mint. Is there really a Precure character on a Coolest girl list? Of the stuff I have seen; Seraphim for this years Zombie series is just your average run of the mill boob girl. I don't understand whats so special about her? Every season has one... is she here because shes the most recent one in peoples memory? Are you a goldfish? Use your brains people! Now we come to Senjouhara... not really surprising shes here, she might have been number 1 last year using the Shaft fanboy formula. I really like Hitagi too, but to be honest she really wasn't featured in the anime enough to be a really exceptional character. But I can at least accept that she should be "in the conversation". I can also understand Saber's inclusion, given her popularity, and I also considered her for my own list. Too a lesser degree I feel the same about Biribiri, but To aru no index was far to ordinary of a series and Mikoto was not a memorable character to be in a serious discussion for a list of this sort.
So here we go with my own ranking. First I should set some rules for how I made my decisions. Obviously, I have to have seen the anime in question, I know that seems like an obvious comment but if you are reading this and wondering why I didn't include "x" well I may just not have seen it yet. Next is something that is up to debate, what exactly is "cool". For me cool is someone you want to be like or look up to. But it can also be someone who is just badass, an independent woman, and someone who holds their own in a world of men.
1. Revy (Black Lagoon)For me this is the biggest no-brainer ever. How Revy failed to make the original list completely invalidates it. Revy is not your typical anime character, which is probably why she isn't beloved by the otaku masses. She's a uncouth, tattooed, chain smoking killer. She is not cute or moe and she would just as soon kill you as save you. If you were going to design the ultimate female action hero icon, Revy is your template.
2. Major Mokoto Kusanagi (Ghost in the Shell)The Major is one of the original girl bad-asses. She is really the only character listed on the original list that I absolutely 100% agree with. Kusanagi is not the really the scary personality someone like Revy is but she is a more than capable action heroine.
3. Nico Robin (One Piece)The streak of strong women continues with a bit of a chance. Robin, unlike the first two on my list is the first true hottie! For me she was one of the main reasons I ended up really falling in love with One Piece. She is a rare character to be both a villainess and a heroine in the story. She also assumes a bit of that older sister role to the crew of One Piece. But what really sets her apart from most characters is her own personal history and back-story. For a shounen series I find it rare for a character to have such an interesting personal history that actually manages to be what it is portrayed, tragic and heartbreaking.
4. Amu Hinamori (Shugo Chara)OMG you mean I put a character from a Mahou Shoujo aimed at preteen girls on my list? Well Amu is known throughout her school as Cool & Spicy! But really what makes Amu so special is whats on the inside. Shes not really that cool or confident, in fact shes just as insecure as any of us at her age. Confused and intimidated by love and boys. She is just like all of us! Yet she manages to persevere through everything that she faces. That makes her inspirational and real. And that is what also makes her cool.
5. Faye Valentine (Cowboy Bebop)I will always have a soft spot in my heart for Faye. She was one of the first anime characters I can really remember and I always thought she was the very definition of sophisticated cool. She is super sexy, independent, treacherous, but in the end when the chips are down you can count on her to get the job done. She doesn't feel as "real" of an action heroine as someone like the Major or Revy, and I kind of liken her to an Angelina Jolie action role. Just a little too hot to be a believable tough woman. An iconic character none-the-less.
6. Yoko Littner (Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann)I think Yoko is the hottest character ever drawn in anime. She's got eye popping dimensions and a sexy outfit but never feels like she is just another implausible anime cliche. She is cool because she holds her own in a cast dominated by men and uber macho testosterone filled manliness. Yoko isn't like most girls in an action show, damsels in distress to be saved by the hero, she kicks butt and is really the only character who's brains have not been completely baked away.
7. Nobue Itou (Ichigo Mashimaro)Why is this moe blob on my list your say?! Because Nobue is like that really cool and awesome older sister that everyone wishes they had. She kind of part mother and part best friend. I think I feel extra attached to someone like Nobue because I had an older brother who was 10 years older than me, alot like she is with her own little sister. I think its a very different and special relationship than with a sibling that is closer to your own age.
8. The Dirty Pair - Kei and Yuri (Dirty Pair)These two are really overlooked by modern fans because of the age of this series. But trust me when I say that the Dirty Pair is one of the most stylish and cool anime series I have ever seen. Every action girl that has appeared since owes at least something to Kei and Yuri, and yes that includes all the women who precede them on this list.
9. Kallen Stadtfeld (Code Geass)I really loved Kallen! She is alot like other cool leading ladies I have enjoyed. Part Yoko and part Faye, I always felt she was one of the most interesting and complex characters in Code Geass. Which is saying something since a lot of the series characters were pretty thin and ridiculous.
10. Tsukushi Makino (Hana Yori Dango)At first glance one might wonder why Tsukushi is on this list. She doesn't look particularly cool. She's an average normal every day girl and not particularly cute or beautiful. Shes not an action heroine. So what is there to admire so much? Because she is REAL and in a real world situation if the chips were down and you really needed a friend you couldn't do better than Tsukushi. What she manages to overcome in her story and still manages to keep her head up and not fall into despair makes her an inspiration to us all. I really think she is the most amazing character I have ever experienced in anime or manga.
Well that's it! Hope you enjoyed my list and please leave a comment with your thoughts. I know I have left out other deserving candidates but I really believe that of the stuff I have seen to date, these characters define the word cool for me. Thanks for reading!
Posted by Skadi | May 26, 2011 6:14 PM | 18 comments
July 6th, 2010
Hooray for 1000! (Maybe I shouldn't be happy about that...)
Anime Relations: Fruits Basket
Over the weekend I managed to add the 1000th entry into my completed anime list. While I certainly am not ashamed of this, a little bit of me wonders how something like this was even possible.
When you look at the number it seems a bit obscene. One thousand? Really? Don't I do anything else with my life? Well the answer is yes to the tools who have been kind enough to point that out in the past. I do manage a full time career, a husband, and a daughter and find plenty of opportunity to take vacations and go out into the sun. It just so happens this website exists that allows me to catalog a great piece of my leisure time activities. I wonder what people would think if they knew exactly how much time in days and numbers you have spent playing Call of Duty 3 or watching reruns of Friends and Seinfeld.
A friend of mine has said before,
"It's really not hard to see many anime."
And it isn't. Sure its hard if every thing your watching is 50 episodes or more in length but anime is so diverse and there is so much out there beyond giant transforming robots, harems, and moe blobs. Some of the stats from my list:
217 TV series
299 OVAs
205 Movies
53 ONAs
142 Specials
84 Music Videos
And what anime got the distinction of being my 1000th anime?
Fruits Basket!
I delayed for quite a long time to watch this anime and once I started getting closer to this number I wanted to save something special for it. Now while I really enjoyed my time with Fruits Basket, it certainly had a number of things that annoyed me. Mainly the lack of any manly men. Poor Tohru.
When you look at the number it seems a bit obscene. One thousand? Really? Don't I do anything else with my life? Well the answer is yes to the tools who have been kind enough to point that out in the past. I do manage a full time career, a husband, and a daughter and find plenty of opportunity to take vacations and go out into the sun. It just so happens this website exists that allows me to catalog a great piece of my leisure time activities. I wonder what people would think if they knew exactly how much time in days and numbers you have spent playing Call of Duty 3 or watching reruns of Friends and Seinfeld.
A friend of mine has said before,
"It's really not hard to see many anime."
And it isn't. Sure its hard if every thing your watching is 50 episodes or more in length but anime is so diverse and there is so much out there beyond giant transforming robots, harems, and moe blobs. Some of the stats from my list:
217 TV series
299 OVAs
205 Movies
53 ONAs
142 Specials
84 Music Videos
And what anime got the distinction of being my 1000th anime?
Fruits Basket!
I delayed for quite a long time to watch this anime and once I started getting closer to this number I wanted to save something special for it. Now while I really enjoyed my time with Fruits Basket, it certainly had a number of things that annoyed me. Mainly the lack of any manly men. Poor Tohru.
Posted by Skadi | Jul 6, 2010 5:00 PM | 7 comments
December 8th, 2009
Favorite Anime ED Top 25 - Part 3 (10-1)
And now the conclusion of my list, please feel free to comment and tell me what you think.
You can see Part 2 (20-11) here!
10. Tōmei na Inori by Masumi Itō (Umi Monogatari ~Anata ga Itekureta Koto~)
This is one of the most insanely cute ED animations I have ever seen. I just love the song and Urin is so adorable in it!
9. Yappari Sekai wa Atashi☆Legend!! by fripSide NAO project! (Koihime†Musou)
This ED just makes me smile. The characters are adorable and the little things that happen during it all remind you of the series. This was an echii fan service action series that surprisingly I really enjoyed alot.
8. Hitosashiyubi Quiet! by Kana Ueda, Mai Goto, Rina Satou, Kaori Shimizu, Mamiko Noto
(Nogizaka Haruka no Himitsu)
Nogizaka had really great music and remains one of my favorite series of all time. Something about it just made me smile. This is a animation that captures the spirit of the anime nicely and its well performed by the cast.
7. Gachinko de Ikou! by Buono! (Shugo Chara!)
It was really hard to settle on one as the top song, but the upbeat tune and animation of this song makes it my favorite. Shugo Chara! definately had one of the best music tracks of any anime ever.
6. Hizamazuite Ashi o Oname/Kneel down and Lick my Feet by ALI PROJECT (Princess Resurrection)
This song probably fits the theme and mood of its parent anime more than anything else. Princess Ressurection was a strange show, with quirky humor and this song has an old Adam's Family kind of feel to it. It was both a bit spooky but also humorous.
5. Don't say 'lazy' by Yoko Hisaka (K-ON!)
Moe-blob anime K-ON! was a surprise hit from 2009. Despite its pointless plot and over the top moe characters I enjoyed the hell out of this show. The main reason was the great musical performances from the cast, in particular the ED sing from newcomer Yoko Hisaka. Shes got a bright future judging from her singing talents and performance as a otaku icon Mio.
4. Honto no Kimochi by Kugimiya Rie (Zero no Tsukaima)
I just adore Rie Kugimiya's singing because she sounds so cute. ZnT has always been a favorite of mine because I like shows about magic and sword fighting and I love tsundere characters. All of ZnT ED were great (which is why I included all of them), but this is by far my favorite.
3. Ashita e no Hikari by Asuka Hinoi (Seto no Haneyome)
Loved this song from the first moment I heard it. Such a powerful voice from such a young singer, who is supremely talented. Unfortunately I am having trouble finding a good version of this so this will have to do for now.
2. Kaze ga Nanika wo Iou to Shiteiru by Saori Hayami (Wagaya no Oinari-sama)
This song was great. I loved this character, even if she didn't really get alot of character development but Saori Hayami's performance really brought her out and this is just an amazing song from someone so young. I look forward to many great things from this actor.
1. Mousukoshi... Mousukoshi by Saori Atsumi (Midori no Hibi)
Now we find our way to the number 1 anime ED of my list. It comes from an unlikely place, Midori no Hibi, but this is just an incredibly sweet song that just about makes me want to break out into tears. I wish there was more from this singer out there.
Special cuteness award:
Onna no Ko Otoko no Ko by Yuko Ogura
This might have been on my list earlier, but it's kinda annoying if you listen to it too much. But its so cute and adorable I had to include it. I included the live version because the singer is even more cute than the song, if thats even possible.
Posted by Skadi | Dec 8, 2009 5:39 AM | 4 comments
December 7th, 2009
Favorite Anime ED Top 25 - Part 2 (20-11)
Here is the continuation of my list! Exciting I know!
You can see Part 1 (25-21) here!
20. Shiawase no Niji by Ueda Kana & Kugimiya Rie (Gakuen Alice)
Cute and adorable little song. Unfortunately its inconsistent with the overall themes of the show. But I have included it just because of its adorableness and overall performance.
19. Shissou by Last Alliance (Ouran High School Host Club)
This is another song I really liked that I didn't really love the anime it was from that much. Don't get me wrong, Ouran Host Club isn't a bad show there was just quite a bit about it I didn't care for. But the ending was satisfying and it was helped by this great theme song.
18. Ringo Hiyori by Rocky Chack (Spice and Wolf)
Nothing like bad engrish lyrics! This song though is cute and fun. It fits perfectly with the anime themes since Horo loved apples. The chibi animation again draws me to it even more.
17. Yuujou Monogatari by Aice5 (Inukami!)
Inukami!'s humor wore on me some, it was extremely funny at times and at others extremely unfunny. This song though was a highlight. Again another generous use of chibi's and an adorable song to go with it, performed in part by the extremely talented Yui Horie.
16. Suki!? Kirai!? Suki!!! by Kugimiya Rie (Zero no Tsukaima ~Futatsuki no Kishi~)
Be prepared for more ZnT songs to come. Overall I loved the entire series, though I will admit they got worse as they went on. But the ED songs from Rie Kugimiya were extremely cute and the animation was hilarious.
15. Asue no Yuuki by Keiko Yoshinari (Magic Knight Rayearth)
More chibi's!! I have always loved this song since I saw it way back when I was younger. This is an under appreciated series by most fans, and I cant recommend it enough to those who like magical girls with a hint of RPG story and Mechs.
14. Aoi FIELD by COACH☆ (Suzuka)
This is another series I had a rough time picking songs from. The music from Coach☆ is awesome, and Suzuka featured 2 great ending themes. The second is full of angst and drama while the one I ended up choosing is more upbeat. I have included both (under the spoiler), so maybe you can decide!
13. Renai ♥ Rider by Buono! (Shugo Chara!)
This was a hard choice! All of Shugo Chara!'s first season songs are awesome, but instead of listing them all I decided to go with my favorite 2. Coming in here is Renai Rider, another upbeat sweet as sugar song that really portrays whats great about this series. Girl Power!
12. Gomen ne by Rie Kugimiya (Zero no Tsukaima ~Princesses no Rondo~)
Zero no Tsukaima makes it on the list again, this time with the 3rd season ED theme song. This one I find hilarious, especially Saito stopping to sneak a peak up Charlotte's skirt while running across the screen. Another great performance from Rie Kugimiya. By far my favorite seiyuu singer. At this time I can only find the full version will update when I get the actual ED.
11. Koi wa A La Mode by Tokyo Mew Mew (Tokyo Mew Mew)
Great song from such a lovable series! This was performed by the cast from the show. It shouldn't take long to realize why I think its so cute. Hint: It's the chibi's of course!
Continue to Part 3!
Posted by Skadi | Dec 7, 2009 9:19 PM | 4 comments