"Here are presented the histories of Herodotus of Halicarnassus..."
I suppose this is the occasion on which I should say something profound, but like with a certain Col. O'Neill (two ls) nothing comes to mind. Trained as a historian, with a roaming interest in history, literature, politics and philosophy I marvel at the beautiful world of anime and what I can learn from it about the world. Also, you know...enjoy myself watching it.
Mostly interested in well-crafted, meaningful stories and characters, such as:
Growing up and life philosophy - Ansatsu Kyoushitsu, Hyouka, Fullmetal Alchemist
Political philosophy - Ginga Eiyuu Densetsu, Psycho Pass, Code Geass
Love & romance: Kimi no na Wa, Shigatsu wa kimi no Uso
Comedy: Konosuba, Ouran Koukou Host Club
Sports, culture: Daiya no Ace, Chihayafuru
Misc: Shingeki no Kyojin, No Game no Life
Crime & Punishment: Kuroshitsuji, Banana Fish
:
Anime:
Ansatsu Kyousthitsu: This is my all-time favourite. An epic poem could be written on why this is so great despite its manifest lackings. What really stands out is its humanness . Life is not easy. It often seems pointless. People are cruel, unjust and oppressive to each other. Despite that, there are many reasons to choose a positive, building path, not least because it is the kindest one on the soul. Ansatsu Kyoushitsu, it's memorable mentor figure, Koro-sensei as well as typecast, but very much lively crew of Class 3-E, pitted against sometimes clichéd, but very well used antagonists is the crowning glory of it. Ansatsu Kyoushitsu is a funny, deep and engrossing journey teaching gently about what it means to be alive.
Code Geass: Hangyaku no Lelouch: Code Geass is either an obvious candidate for favourite status, or an obvious candidate to not get that. On the one hand it features smart character, good arcs, feels, relatively engaging battles (for a mecha show, that is), a likeable cast and various strands of sensible conflicts, paired with very good voice acting and OST. On the other hand, it is flashy, inconsistent, sometimes positively nonsensical and superficial instead of deep. Despite it's problems though, a show that takes the time to feature a conflict between deontological and consequentialist ethics, with well-crafted symbolism and does so in an overall enjoyable way cannot be that bad. For it's ambition, even if it's not Ginga Eiyuu (itself imperfect), gets on this list.
Diamond no Ace: It is hard to know where to begin with this one. Psycho-Pass : Can the human soul be measured? Specifically, its morality. This is when a serious work of art explores that question, not, you know...Sword Art Online. With a very strong cast, absolutely engulfing visuals and soundtrack, great voice actors Psycho Pass brings a veritable dystopia alive. Or does it? The show (at least S1) is great on nuance, and whether the seemingly all-knowing and all-powerful Sybil System is good or bad is ultimately left to the viewer to decide. It is made clear too, that the characters (and probably the viewers in their own lives) have to make that decision, willing or not. Is there a basic level of freedom, indispensable to everyone, and if yes, what if the majority passively decides to sell it for something? Also, is individuality possible in a society controlled by something like Sybil?
[b] SECTION WORK IN PROGREESS
Character I would like to meet : Yang Wen-Li - Ginga Eiyuu Densetsu.
Fleet Admiral Yang is not only the most unwilling military hero in history, but he is also a caring, humble, unassuming, and profound man, with a deep love not only for his friends, wife, and ward, but also for humanity and the great chronicle of its deeds: history. It is hard to imagine someone better to have a conversation with - perhaps by a bottle of wine and a piece of chess.
This section contains SPOILERS, proceed at your own discretion
Armin ArlertShingeki no Kyojin: Beginning S1 as a well-meaning, curious, idealistic young boy, Armin feels weak and useless for being unable to defend himself against bullies and carries massive guilt for being a "deadweight" on his friend, Eren, and Mikasa. Beginning with the Trost arc he not only realizes that his friends see him as a valuable, smart, and loyal friend, but also that he can make a distinct contribution. Between coming up with genius-level plans and showing great bravery - especially compared to his poor combat abilities - he is a mirror to Commander Erwin, being the one who understands the responsibilities of the commander more, than anyone (except for Levi), as well as the character who keeps his head and his humanity to the end in an inhuman world. For all these, he deserves to be on this list. Best line: "Personally, I think that *good* or *bad* are labels we attach to people according to whether they act according to our expectations. But if you don't do this, then at for me, you will be a bad person."
Edward Elric Fullmetal Alchemist: Short, funny and headstrong, he's a young genius. He also learned a great deal of humility from his previous mistakes and not only moves forward from it but grows into an adult over the course of the series. Loyal, brave, and compassionate Edward shines as a brother, as a rebel against the system, and an eminently sensible and wise hero. Best line: "There is no such thing as a painless lesson. You have to sacrifice something in order to gain something. Although, if you can endure that pain and walk away from it, you'll find that you have a heart able to overcome any challenge. Yeah, a heart-made Fullmetal."
Koro-sensei Ansatsu Kyousthisu: Nurufufufufu (can't get enough of this)! Korosensei is the ultimate mentor character. Wise and caring, stern and comic, Korosensei can go from feeling embarrassed in one moment to coming up with another crazy way to add to the E class' studies. The humanity this previously rudderless and ungrounded character shows is the gift that the members of the class, as well as the teacher will carry with them for their whole lives. He also acts like an idiot from time to time. Best line: As you go through life, the mighty current of society is bound to get in your way and there will certainly be times when things don't go as you planned for. When that happens don't look to society for a cause. Don't renounce society. Frankly, you'd be just wasting your time. Instead, just say 'that's life' and muddle through with frustration."
Lelouch vi Britannia Code Geass : aka. Zero aka. Emperor Lelouch aka. Lelouch the Demon. A complex person with all the uppityness, and emotional turbulence of a teenager, of genius intelligence and a troubled past, Lelouch is the ultimate actor on the stage of the world, who from starting out with very selfish motives grows into a genuinely compassionate person as he takes on more and more the role of avatar for the world's attraction to violence and hatred. Best line: Could be anything, but "Lelouch vi Britannia commands you!" must take precedence.
Natsuki Subaru Re:Zero: A typical otaku protagonist thrown into a fantasy world by a queer series of events. While most isekai protagonists are lucky to no end and strong by divine providence, Subaru gets the worst timeline and acts more like a typical teenage boy would: confused, trying to wing it, scared and traumatized by the events and pain he has to go through. Despite that, he tries and tries and tries again all through the painful reloads and miraculously grows into a more wholesome person in the ordeal. Best line: "I'm not done yet!"
Oreki Houtarou Hyouka/Koten-bu : This self-proclaimed energy saver gives off the vibes of an interesting character from the get-go. No superhero by any means, he is self-conscious and reflective from the start, and his above the average intelligence shows as well. Add to that some serious self-confidence issues, partly arising from his disfunctional relationship with his elder sister, and an overall sometimes nasty and ever blunt, but caring personality and you have a great protagonist. His relationships with his friends are also very well built up, and complex for the subject. Best line : None, I don't have to do it....Okay, well: "Whichever deduction is valid, whichever deduction matches the truth can only be said to be a matter of luck. To increase the chances of that, one would have to gather as much detailed data as possible(...); even if one managed to collect data that goes into the minutest details, all that would achieve is a higher possibility for truth and theory to coincide, nothing more."
Sawamura Eijun Daiya no A : Loud, obnoxious, full of vigor - Sawamura Eijun is the all-heart protagonist of this great sports anime. Often acting as a comic relief character through his sheer obliviousness ("Yes, boss!"), Sawamura is a rough diamond that has a lot of potential from the beginning, but is years behind in processing. Despite that, despite the overwhelming obstacles and constant failures along the way, he's always the heart of the team and overcoming the odds becomes a reliable, leading member, eventually the true Ace oft the Diamond. He is also "for an idiot, surprisingly observant", giving his teammates fitting (and funny) nicknames (Cheetah, Harucchi, Spitz, Oni-san, Leader, Shogun, Wolf-boy). His obliviously cheerful obstinacy livens up the diamond and is something to truly respect. Best line: "Balls will come flying everyone, so thank you in advance!" (alternatively: "Yosh, yosh, yosh!")
Suou Tamaki Ouran Koukou Host Club : An airhead. This princely figure is not only super oblivious to most things, he's also a caring and kind person, an ikemen in all, but manners, despite his troubled background. Worthy of the role of being one of the main characters of "this romance anime", leaving the rest as the "homosexual supporting cast" [sic!]. Best line: "don't be afraid to open your hearts to others. It's pointless to keep testing people. You're only hurting yourself."
Tsunemori Akane Psycho Pass : Entered the MWPSB as a naive greenhorn, whose only skills were her exceptional grades and always clear hue as well as compassion towards people (saving a victim in the very first episode through that). Over the course of a single season Tsunemori becomes an experienced and capable Inspector, with granite strong convictions. Always believing in human capacity and responsibility to choose, her Best line is: "What matters is that you come to that decision yourself. That you agonize over it and eventually accept it."
Yang Wen-li Ginga Eiyuu Densetsu : The most unwilling military genius in history. Fleet Admiral Yang is a simple man: he likes to read, he likes to laze around, he's a loyal and loving husband and stepfather, and is always ready to make the argument for why his drinking is perfectly okay ("Alcohol has been friends with humanity for five thousand years. Can I abandon a friend?"). His down to earth, practical wisdom is a moral compass that guides the galaxy toward a better future, as he takes on the role of leader, despite his personal aversion to glory and the responsibility, just because there's no one better to do it. Plus, he is a historian, so I'm already in the bag for him. His Best line : "The pen is mightier, than the sword! In human affairs it is hard to find the truth, that is why this expression is true."
Honorable Mentions:
Erwin Smith Shingeki no Kyojin S1-3: Erwin is a demon created by a cruel and unforgiving world. A strategic genius, his master plans from the Trost Arc onwards are the only thing standing between the Scouts and a total wipeout. Even before that, he invented the long-range scouting formation, making casualties on an expedition manageable. A man devoted to the Scouts and seemingly the perfect leader - courageous, caring and one who produces victory against undefeatable odds, he hides a great secret: his personal reason for fighting, the one for which he makes all the bloody sacrifices is the desire to atone for incidentally causing his father's death as a child, discover the truth of the world and prove his dad right. His tragedy is that such a man was not only affirmed, but practically prayed for by those under him: only someone willing to create hell could lead the Scouts through it. Letting go of that selfishness at the end of S3 is one of the greatest moments of a great show. Unsurprisingly then, his best line: "It is almost guaranteed that we'll all be wiped out...For this to work, to ask these young ones to die, it would require an expert conman and a whole slew of lies. If I do not lead the vanguard, none of them will follow. And I will die before anyone else. Before learning what's in the basement. I want to go to the basement. Everything I've done until now was for that."
Oikawa Tooru Haikyuu!! S1-3: Arrogant, contemptous, self-important. Oikawa Tooru is all these things. He is an excellent volleyball player with a cool, strategic head and the ability to bring out the best of all the players and the team as a whole, making him a natural leader. If he were only that, he'd be an excellent villain in S1-2 of Haikyuu!! However, he also suffers from a warped sense of self, as he believes - correctly? - that people, like his junior, Kageyama (whom he bullies relentlessly) or rival, Ushijima have a natural talent, that he will never be able to match, however hard he strategies, trains and performs. Despite that, he refuses to give up and fights on. All the fun ways that these traits show in the anime is what makes Oikawa an outstanding character. Best line: "Worthless pride, huh? That's true...Listen up, Ushijima. I never thought my decision was wrong, and my volleyball hasn't ended at all. Don't you ever forget my worthless pride."
Sakurajima Mai - Bunny girl senpai: An ikemen in all respects. A strong-willed, talented and brave character as well as someone ready to look out for others. Her snappy lines are just some of the best there is. Best line: "You have tried your best."
This is going to be really subjective, not least since how much I like an opening depends a whole lot on which ones I know and which animes that they are paired up with I loved.
That said:
Jiriki Hongan Revolution : 3-nen E-gumi Utatan - Ansatsu Kyoushitsu S1 Ep 12-22. : Sung by five very talented voice actors, this song with its weaving together of two paths to enlightenment from buddhist thought and its flashy, somewhat absurd, colorful, and dynamic style captures the content, form, and essence of Assassination Classroom perfectly, as well as contains some food for thought. Main cast forming guns with their hands cute. Karma-Nagisa version especially awesome.
Hashire Mirai Glay - Diamond no Ace Season 1 Ep 52-75 : The cheerful obstinacy in refusing to give up vocalized by one of Japan's greater bands coupled with the visuals gives you perfectly the spirit of the Seido-Inashiro game, that is the crux of the 23 ~ episodes in which this opening is used. Moreover: "when I get stronger one day, I will sing this song: I will not let my dreams stay just dreams".
Anima : Reona - SAO: WoU Part 2 : From a popular and talented singer, we get asked "What is the color of the soul?" Add that to a dynamic opening with some awesome moments and this is the reason why War of the Underworld was worth making
Colors Flow - Code Geass S1 Ep 1-12. A song from the popular band with an exciting visual background, who would fail to believe that everything is possible? Lelouch walking through fire and rubble and the white knight awakening...just great.
Again Yui - Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood Ep 1-14 Vocalized by Yui's beautiful voice, sets the mood for the first arc of FMA:B. perfectly. Mystery, excitement, and action are all packaged here in contemplative and fight scenes.
Yasashisa no Riyuu ChouCho - Hyouka Ep 1-11 Watching this opening it's hard to not get the feeling that you yourself are waking up from a slumber of grayness to a suddenly colorful world.
This Game Konomi Suzuki - No Game No Life: If this doesn't fire up the imagination, then nothing does. Full of adventure and possibilities.
Sincerely TRUE - Violet Evergarden As beautiful and touching as the series itself. Violet grasping over her heart in one shot and crying out in pain in the next really is an emotional moment.
Go Exceed Tom-H@ck - Diamond no Ace Ep 1-25 Really, this is Sawamura's song from the first seconds showing him pitching. Also introduces the team and fun of baseball rather nicely.
Rewrite Asian Kung-fu Generation - Fullmetal Alchemist Ep 52-61 : Great animation, great fight scenes and sets up the last arc perfectly.
Honorable mentions:
Sora ga Aozora de Aru tame ni GLAY - Diamond no Ace Second Season Ep 27-51 : Leans on the idealistic side, but brims with love for baseball. Miyuki spreading his wings on the field? Yeah, I get why these guys spend all their time on that sport.
Cruel Angel's Thesis Takahashi Yoko - Neon Genesis Evangelion : This one needs no introduction. Depending on the way it is played/sung it can range from depressing and heavy to hopeful and unbending in its tone. A classic.
Melissa Porno Graffiti - Fullmetal Alchemist Ep 2-12. : Despite the old and low-quality animation it brings the sense of the Elric brother's journey to the viewer. The overall tone is also engaging and fits well with the series' themes.
Shinzou wo Sasageyo Linked Horizon - Shingeki no Kyojin S3 : Devote your hearts! In the season when it turns out that everything is quite different, then it was imagined previously this theme connects to the past, while the cast explores ways to the future.
Imagination Spyair - Haikyuu S1: This is likely the best theme of Haikyuu. No wonder it was chosen at the end of S5. Watching this even a non-athlete can get enthusiastic about volleyball and the start of Hinata's way in becoming the new Little Giant.
Adamas LISA - SAO: Alicization Ep 1-14 : Sets up the series perfectly. From the running children to Kirito & Eugeo performing the double slash, it has great animation, great voiceover, and a great beat.
I am really not a guy for endings. Usually, I just skip them. However, there are some that stand out:
Nandemoniya RADWIMPS - Kimi no na Wa: There is not much needed to be said about this one. Simple, elegant, beautiful, like the whole soundtrack of the film.
Hello Shooting Star Moumoon - Ansatsu Kyoushitsu S1: Relaxing and beautiful. Imagine the mountain on which Class-E's classroom is situated at night. Then a shooting star appears on the clear sky, above, in the dark illuminated by the stars. The acoustic guitar is great in that one.
Bloom of Youth Masayoshi Oishi- Diamond no Ace: Second Season Ep. 27-39 : Isn't baseball liberating? Listening to this it sure seems like.
Cloud Nine Hanae Natsuki, Shimazaki Nobunaga, Osaka Ryouta - Diamond no Ace S1 Ep. 38-51: Sets the tone perfectly for the windup leading to the last game of the qualifiers. The main cast has really excellent voices too. The Furuya-version (Shimazaki) is especially outstanding. The personalities of the characters shine through completely.
FINAL VICTORY Hanake Natsui, Shimazaki Nobunaga, Osaka Ryota - Diamond no Ace S1, Ep. 64-75 : Good luck, Eijun-kun! The summer tournament is just beginning.
Fukashigi no Carte Sung by Cast - Seishun Buta Yarou wa Bunny Girl Senpai no Yume wo Mina: The women singing this just have great voices. That and the steady rhythm adds up to a great denouement after an episode.
Asu Boku Wa Kimi Ni Ainiiku Wakaba - Sekai-ichi Hatsukoi S1: That moment when Ritsu looks up at the falling snow, as if he realized something is excellent.
On rating system : Basically follows MAL standard from Appalling (1) to Masterpiece (10). Rule of thumb: titles (8) and above I consider to have taught me something important/holding valuable lessons on life and its individual aspects. (6) to (7) are shows that I more (7) or less (6) enjoyed and consider to have been a good investment of time.
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"Perhaps there is a universal, absolute truth. Perhaps it clarifies every question. But that's beyond the reach of these small hands."
- Yang Wenli
. . ----------------------------------------- Greetings! Evil Club's Easter Egg Hunt Event is finally here! The
event will start at April 4th, 12:00 AM EST and to join the event simply click the banner above only during the designated time to
get to the thread and see the goodies we have prepared.
We truly apologize for this sudden unwanted newsletter. Our staff ran into an unexpected problem which led to us not being able to use the "Share with Members" feature, but we absolutely will not
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Again, we apologize for the inconveniences this may have caused.
See you all at the thread! Have a great day and Happy Easter! ----------------------------------------- .
Yes and it follows the mc from childhood to adulthood. His entire baseball career and the drama side of things. It's really good!
ooh nice. first 5 ep were definitely amazing. s1 as a whole was just decent tho
Yeah and Taichi had more flaws which made him more interesting to begin with. Thats why I stopped reading the manga. I'll wait for the anime. I guarantee his character will reach even higher heights. There will be more screen time for Suou and Shinobu as well. Taichi and Shinobu are my 2 favourite characters
and np, enjoy the server. It really does feel like the series is really popular when in the server lol. It definitely got way more popular over time but still not mainstream level. What matters is that it's mainstream in Japan. 33rd best selling manga. I learned a lot about baseball from the series as well. Didn't know just how complex it was.
Oooh planning to watch Major I see. it probably has the best story ever in sports anime.
also nice to know you love Chihayafuru too. Taichi in s3 is just.... wow. Became such a complex character. I've read a bit of the manga and he just gets even better from here.
Since you loved Attack on Titan season 1 i'd encourage you to STOP whatever you're watching and start binging the series , every seasons gets progressively better and better
Firstly, of course I am not like Oreki; I like reading manga/light novels a lot. So I can consider your recommendation right after I finish Hyouka in the future. :)
But the main reason I texted you again is, I was just looking at your anime list and I suddenly saw that you started Banana Fish- and I had a lot of flashbacks.. It is my favourite anime so I couldn't help but text again. It's a great story! I hope you do not know any spoilers because theres a lot of people who like to spoil Banana Fish ending to everyone.
I unfortunately watched with knowing the ending but even though I know the ending, it effected me a lot and I think it's a really good drama and action anime. I hope you like it! Also I would be very happy if you can tell me about your review after you finish Banana Fish.
Also I noticed that we have a lot in common about animes, so I bet you will like banana Fish! And I would like to have some of your recommendations again after I finish all of your recommendations.. I promise it will not took so long!
Hi,
I'm glad you found it enjoyable! The Slice of Life genre isn't my strength of anime knowledge, but from my watch history I thought something light and fun like this would be appropriate, I certainly enjoyed both seasons.
Have a great year too!
hello there, merry christmas and happy new year! thank you so much for you recommendation(s), i recently started hyouka and i really liked it, like a lot. i have not got so much time these days so i could just watch a couple of episodes, i am really sorry! but i'm gonna continue to watch today in later hours.
about the other recommendations, it was always in my mind to watch "kotonoha no niwa" and " byousoku 5 centimeter" because if i am not wrong they have the same studios as "tenki no ko" and "kimi no na wa" i love that movies and i am definitely going to watch it.
i dont really know why but i dont like nakamura shungiku's trio.. it's not about their plot, i just really dont like it's drawings. it really pisses me off.
lastly, i am very surprised that you have a lot of recommendations for me, i got really happy when i see your letter! i am definitely going to give them a chance! thank you for all of them, i hope you have an amazing 2021!
All Comments (8) Comments
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.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Greetings! Evil Club's Easter Egg Hunt Event is finally here! The
event will start at April 4th, 12:00 AM EST and to join the event
simply click the banner above only during the designated time to
get to the thread and see the goodies we have prepared.
We truly apologize for this sudden unwanted newsletter. Our staff
ran into an unexpected problem which led to us not being able to
use the "Share with Members" feature, but we absolutely will not
let our dear members miss this special event after all.
Again, we apologize for the inconveniences this may have caused.
See you all at the thread! Have a great day and Happy Easter!
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
.
ooh nice. first 5 ep were definitely amazing. s1 as a whole was just decent tho
Yeah and Taichi had more flaws which made him more interesting to begin with. Thats why I stopped reading the manga. I'll wait for the anime. I guarantee his character will reach even higher heights. There will be more screen time for Suou and Shinobu as well. Taichi and Shinobu are my 2 favourite characters
and np, enjoy the server. It really does feel like the series is really popular when in the server lol. It definitely got way more popular over time but still not mainstream level. What matters is that it's mainstream in Japan. 33rd best selling manga. I learned a lot about baseball from the series as well. Didn't know just how complex it was.
also nice to know you love Chihayafuru too. Taichi in s3 is just.... wow. Became such a complex character. I've read a bit of the manga and he just gets even better from here.
Since you loved Attack on Titan season 1 i'd encourage you to STOP whatever you're watching and start binging the series , every seasons gets progressively better and better
Firstly, of course I am not like Oreki; I like reading manga/light novels a lot. So I can consider your recommendation right after I finish Hyouka in the future. :)
But the main reason I texted you again is, I was just looking at your anime list and I suddenly saw that you started Banana Fish- and I had a lot of flashbacks.. It is my favourite anime so I couldn't help but text again. It's a great story! I hope you do not know any spoilers because theres a lot of people who like to spoil Banana Fish ending to everyone.
I unfortunately watched with knowing the ending but even though I know the ending, it effected me a lot and I think it's a really good drama and action anime. I hope you like it! Also I would be very happy if you can tell me about your review after you finish Banana Fish.
Also I noticed that we have a lot in common about animes, so I bet you will like banana Fish! And I would like to have some of your recommendations again after I finish all of your recommendations.. I promise it will not took so long!
I'm glad you found it enjoyable! The Slice of Life genre isn't my strength of anime knowledge, but from my watch history I thought something light and fun like this would be appropriate, I certainly enjoyed both seasons.
Have a great year too!
about the other recommendations, it was always in my mind to watch "kotonoha no niwa" and " byousoku 5 centimeter" because if i am not wrong they have the same studios as "tenki no ko" and "kimi no na wa" i love that movies and i am definitely going to watch it.
i dont really know why but i dont like nakamura shungiku's trio.. it's not about their plot, i just really dont like it's drawings. it really pisses me off.
lastly, i am very surprised that you have a lot of recommendations for me, i got really happy when i see your letter! i am definitely going to give them a chance! thank you for all of them, i hope you have an amazing 2021!
sincerely,
vee.