Binge-worthy Anime During COVID 19 Quarantine Part 2

Last time I talked about my first five anime on a list of ten binge-worthy ones. Here I’ll continue with the next five. So, let’s get the ball rolling, otakus.

Rorouni Kenshin otherwise known as Samurai X is one of my favorite anime of all time, and is the sixth anime on the list. Created by Nobuhiro Watsuki in manga, the story focuses on Kenshin Himura otherwise known as the Battousai the Assassin. At the beginning of the anime, Kenshin is retired and living a quiet life. But, when Kenshin encounters Kamiya Kaoru, he is thrust into a new life of defending the oppressed instead of killing his targets. I have a caveat for this though. I only watch until the Shisio arc, and include the beautiful OVA ‘Trust and Betrayal’ which tells of Kenshin’s origins. Later on, I also included the end OVA ‘Reflection’ which some people don’t care for (I do, it’s an excellent story!).

So what’s not to like about Kenshin? The weak looking, X-scarred faced unassuming assassin who turns to defending the weak and oppressed? Come on. Kenshin is iconic. So iconic that it has three live-action movies with a fourth coming out soon. I doubt you’d get anime like Kimetsu No Yaiba if not for Kenshin and this group. I mean, I love Tanjiro. But, Kenshin is at a whole different level entirely. That reversed sword is just plain ridiculous. Kenshin is not only the best swordsman of his era, he also has transformed himself to the one with the kindest heart. He reminds me a lot of Yoda with his demeanor…he looks weak but he kicks as-. If that doesn’t convince you, this anime has one of the coolest soundtracks to accompany its opening and ending sequences.

Speaking of opening sequences, this next anime has one of the best ones…

Space noir Cowboy Bebop makes my list. It’s one of those space anime that predates the American television series, ‘Firefly’. I could argue that Bebop had an influence on Firefly, but Firefly fans might consider that sacrilege (I’m a brown coat too but I won’t sugar coat this comparison). Why this anime? It all starts with the opening credits. That opening sequence keeps me coming back every episode. Created by Shinichiro Watanabe, Cowboy Bebop tells the story of Spike Spiegel and his band of bounty hunters down on their luck. The anime had a cult following, and was way before it’s time.

At one time in Japan, this anime was cancelled because of its adult content. Didn’t matter. Cowboy Bebop is and remains to be one of the top anime that ever came out. The episodic nature of this anime along with its personal themes have attracted many anime fans to its fold. Of course, many male anime fans would probably argue that Faye Valentine had a lot to do with it as well. They wouldn’t be wrong. Cowboy Bebop has become so popular that there is even a Netflix series in the works.

But, Cowboy Bebop isn’t the highest profile anime on my list. That distinction goes to the next anime…

Many people believe that Hiromu Arakawa’s manga turned anime Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood is the best anime of all time. You read that right…ALL TIME. Just ask around. Or better yet, visit MyAnimelist to see what I mean. Over one million people there can’t be wrong, right? I’m one of those. Whether you watch FMA: Brotherhood or the Full Metal Alchemist series that came before it, I don’t care. Both anime are totally binge-worthy. Sure the movie sucked, but I assure you that you will fall in love with this story of Edward and Alphonse Elric. Yes, this is a a shonen anime like others I’ve talked about before. But, this stands out as one of the best anime themes that ever came out. If you think Evangelion was a mind warp with its over complicated themes, Full Metal Alchemist trumps that with a complex theme in a very simple approach. And, it is often reminded at the beginning of each episode: The Law of Equivalent Exchange.

To obtain something, you have to lose something of equal value. That is the the Law of Equivalent Exchange. It’s the law of the Full Metal Alchemist (FMA) universe. This is the theme of the both series whether FMA or FMA: Brotherhood. And it is constantly reminded time and time again. Why did this happen? Equivalent Exchange. Can I do this? Equivalent Exchange. What do I need to do to be happy? Equivalent Exchange. You will learn early that this is true in this anime, and it’s a reflection of real life as well. If you haven’t seen it yet, just ask that dog you’ll encounter early on in the series. Don’t worry it’ll talk to you. For those who’ve seen it, don’t spoil the dog for the uninitiated. That’ll screw your world view. This anime is definitely not for children.

On to the next dog—err—anime—err—both…

I really love Rumiko Takahashi, and I’ve shown that with my love for Ranma 1/2. Inuyasha on the other hand just highlighted what a brilliant storyteller she really is. Absolutely brilliant. This was isekai before isekai became a household word like that shield hero character. Where Ranma and Akane’s love story was whimsical, Inuyasha and Kagome’s leveled that up to whimsical and heartwarming. The animation itself was the best that Rumiko had come up with making. As with most of Takahashi’s work, this is funny. Unlike Ranma 1/2 this had a beautiful base story that reveals layers upon layers of back story as the anime progressed.

Aside from Kagome and Inuyasha, Rumiko Takahashi gives us a slew of very interesting characters. We have Inuyasha’s old flame, Kikyo, and his brother Shessomaru. We have the lecherous monk, Miroku, and the demon slayer, Sango, along with her demon cat mount, Kirara. Then there is the ultimate villain in the story, Naraku. Inuyasha and his band search the world for pieces of the Shikon jewel that corrupts those who have them. The counterpoint to this is Inuyasha who is half-demon and half-human, but feels corrupted by his own humanity. Inuyasha denies his humanity which later on is revealed to be part of his strength as he and Kagomi search to vanquish those transformed by the cursed jewel.

It’s a fantasy adventure isekai for the ages, and the build up to the final keeps your heart racing. You will be rewarded for investing in these characters come series end. Though, the last anime on my list will lead you to heartache if you invest too much in the characters.

Akame Ga Kill is an anime created by Takahiro and illustrated by Tetsuya Tashiro. The titular character, Akame, is an assassin of the group, Night Raid. Tatsumi joins Night Raid under Akame’s guidance to foil the plots of the evil empire. Sounds like a simple plot, right? The clincher here is the Imperial Arms, legendary weapons wielded by their owners. All members of Night Raid have Imperial Arms. The Empire’s greatest warriors have Imperial Arms. The catch? When wielders of Imperial Arms fight each other, only one of them will survive. Because of that, layered characters die every so often in the series that you’d be best NOT to invest in them or have your heart broken. Even the antagonists of Night Raid aren’t your typical villains as well. They have back stories. You will empathize with them. You will love them. And then…your heart will break.

The fight scenes in Akame Ga Kill are top notch, and, just like Full Metal Alchemist, this series is not for children. The combat and death scenes can be quite graphic to people with weak constitutions. Actually, in the very first episode you will see that this is not a happy anime at all. It’s an action adventure dark fantasy that’ll break your heart, but you’ll still love it for doing so. It’s that realistic theme, that looming danger of death that gives Akame Ga Kill its edge. And, that’s what makes it a beautiful anime to binge-watch.

So there you have it. This completes my list of anime worth binge-watching. I hope you enjoyed it. What’s your list? I’d be happy to hear in my comments. Till next time. Stay indoors, watch your anime and keep save in this time of COVID 19.

Binge-worthy Anime During COVID 19 Quarantine

So I had this idea and posted it on my Facebook Page. Since a lot of us are stuck at home during quarantine because of COVID-19, I decided to come up with a list of anime that I would never get tired of re-watching time and time again. But, the list didn’t give it justice. So, I’m providing here a better elaboration of why these are my choices. Here goes then.

I’ll start with the oldest one on the list, Voltes V. This is a Filipino phenomenon. Though there was Combattler V that came before it , Voltes V was the super robot that won the hearts of anime fans in the Philippines, including me. By my count, this anime has been shown three times. One in it’s incomplete English dubbed version when it came out in the late 70s. Another time with completed English dub in the 90s. And then there was a Tagalog dubbed version that came later. If that wasn’t enough, there will be a live action adaptation of Voltes V in the Philippines. I don’t think there was ever an anime well-revered by Filipinos than Voltes V. Sure, the anime is dated, but the themes are not. Think about it. Rebellion against tyranny is something that a lot of Filipinos can relate. There are other super robots that came before it, but this is the one that has embedded itself into the Filipino psyche for arguably generations to come. Let’s Volt in!!!!

The next oldest on the list is the 1980s version of Astroboy. There was a version of this anime in the 60s, but this later version is the one I like. Created by Osamu Tezuka, Astroboy is wish fulfillment Pinocchio style. His wisdom, power and charisma are what make Astro such an appealing character. As you watch the anime, you’ll appreciate Astro’s sense of wonder, and respect for the human race. There’s a bit of Asimov in this series as well as robots are not supposed to harm humans. The beauty and irony of the anime is that Astroboy, being a robot, is more human than a lot of human characters in the show. In fact, he often shows humans how to become more humane from his robot perspective.

Third oldest here is Macross. Actually, ALL the Macross anime except for Macross 7 (that is one part of Macross history I choose to ignore). Created by Shoji Kawamori, this anime presents jet planes that transform into mecha. Hell, the dimensional fortress itself transforms into one giant robot. My eyes feasted on this anime from the get-go. Gundam might have come first, but this is the mecha anime that caught my fancy. Oddly enough, the mecha is not the ultimate weapon in the series. It’s actually culture in the form of music. Aside from that, the fight scenes in those mecha were outstanding. The initial anime was so popular that the jet transformation was adapted into another popular show in the 80s, Transformers. Jetfire/Skyfire’s transformation is the exact copy of the Macross fighter planes. Also, while everybody was falling in love with either Lynn Minmay or Misa Hayase, I was more interested in Milia Fallyna, the better half of ace pilot Maximillian Jenius. That couple could easily take out a cadre of elite pilots on their own without breaking a sweat. Speaking of couples…

Next on the list is Ranma 1/2 created by Rumiko Takahashi. Ranma Saotome falls into the cursed spring of Jusenkyo which transforms him into a pig-tailed girl of equal age. His father, Genma, falls into a similar spring which transforms him into a panda. From then on, they can only transform into their original forms when they bathe in hot water. Later, Ranma finds out that he is set to marry Akane Tendo, daughter of Soun Tendo and best friend of Genma, when they come of age. This sets up a series of misadventures wherein Ranma seeks to cure himself from Jusenkyo’s curse, and avoid marrying tomboy Akane. I’ll be blunt. The premise of this anime is outrageous. It’s downright hilarious. And, it’s very, very entertaining. There is a slew of characters in this anime that follow the same theme as Ranma….victim of Jusenkyo’s springs. The characters themselves are layered and bring their own brand of hilarity to the show from the vain Kuno to the dangerously cute Shampoo. No matter how many times I watch this anime, I always end up laughing and sometimes laughing into tears. This is one of Rumiko Takahashi’s greatest works. Just when you thought it couldn’t get any funnier, Ranma 1/2 surprises you with more out of this world humor. Now, let’s move on to something a little bit more serious…

The next anime on my list is another mecha anime, Neon Genesis Evangelion. Yeah, I loved a lot of robot anime. It’s no surprise I have four on my list of ten, and Evangelion is the last robot anime you’ll find here. Whereas Ranma 1/2 was comedy, Evangelion was heavy on drama. This anime tackled serious existential themes,and by the time the series was done people still got to wonder if they got the gist right. The villains there were called angels, and that’s not the only biblical reference in Eva. The main character, Shinji Ikari, is a weak-willed emotional boy who holds the fate of humanity in his hands. Throughout the series, he learns to develop his skills in piloting the Eva to save the human race from these angels…or does he? Joining him are fellow Eva pilots, Rei Ayanami and Asuka Langley Soryu. Created by Hideaki Anno with designs by Yoshiyuki Sadamoto, Evangelion had psychological, philosophical, social and religious concepts that made the anime a total mindfu–warp. Providing multiple perspectives into intellectual thought, this anime had layers upon layers of hidden meanings. Unsurprisingly, some of them were sexual in nature. At the center of it all is the Freudian relationship between Shinji and his mentor/mother figure, Misato Katsuragi. I tell you this was heavy viewing for an anime. As it was coming out, I had to watch each episode at least twice to see if I got the concepts right. Did I? Not quite. As the many discussion boards will tell you, just when you think you have the series figured out some new information comes out of the wood works and screws up your initial theories. This was one anime that let me think deep in more than one occasion, and that’s why I keep coming back to it for more.

So here’s my first five of ten anime that I’d gladly watch over and over. Next time, I’ll discuss the next five. That’s all for now. Happy binge watching.

80 Years of Richard ‘Dick’ Grayson

When I was growing up, one of the first comic books I got for myself was a copy of New Teen Titans 39 created by Marv Wolfman and George Perez. The title of the book was ‘Crossroads’, and it involved then Robin ‘Dick’ Grayson giving up his mantle as Robin.

I’ve heard and read of Dick Grayson as Robin before that issue, but this was the first time that I became truly a fan. I’ve been following his adventures since, and even back read some of his older ones. Now, he is much older than me in years, but younger than me in form. Figure that time warp out.

I saw Dick grow from kid sidekick to Nightwing to Agent 37 and back to Nightwing again. I love his character development, and how he was able to grow out of the shadow of the big bad Batman. He become his own man, and was better for it. Truly there are a lot of similarities between the two characters. The suave demeanor. The cultured outlook. The calm persona. But, there are also aspects of Dick’s personality that stand out from his mentor, Bruce Wayne.

For one, he’s a better team player, and leader. Whereas, Bruce Wayne/Batman was always dark and brooding, Dick/Robin/Agent 37/Nightwing was light and flamboyant due to his circus acrobat background. But, the aspect of Dick Grayson that I loved so much was the fact that I saw him grow. In fact, there was a time that he grew up with me. Or I grew up with him. I could see the changes in his growth and personality as his story progressed, particularly during his time as leader of the New Teen Titans and beyond.

Because of this, Dick Grayson is a more relatable and intriguing character than Bruce Wayne will ever be to me. Maybe some would say they grew up with Batman. I grew WITH Dick Grayson. He is the one character that I see myself as. With that, I’m not surprised that Robin/Agent 37/Nightwing—-Dick Grayson has lasted this long, and has a very loyal fan following.

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As Dick Grayson’s adventures continue on, and I’m quite sure they will outlive me, I look back at a character who showed me how to be a team player. A character who showed me that fear isn’t the mind killer. A character who is calm and collected without being being ‘the night’. A character who is not afraid of having relationships, but rather builds on them as a strength and not a weakness. This is a character who has inspired me to be the best version of myself. This is a character who challenges me to take that leap of faith even though there is no safety net below. And, why not? So long as you have a strong sense of where you are going, you don’t need to look down and see if you’re falling.

Happy 80th birthday, Richard ‘Dick’ Grayson. May you have many more to come, and inspire more people to take that leap of faith with a smile on their face.