Wednesday, September 14, 2016

T5W#57-Top 10 Favorite Anime Movies (Part 2)


Don’t think we need to do much of an intro, especially if you tuned into Part 1 last week…but just in case, for those who came in late:

(I’ve been thinking about doing this one for a while.  When it comes to making a list of favorite Anime films, just narrowing it down to five options is the toughest of challenges.  So I decided to do something special instead.  Rather than just five favorites, I’ll do ten and split them up between now and next week.  Besides, things have changed since the early days I tried to come up with a list like this.  I’ve seen more titles, found more favorites.  Well they’ll all be featured in this two part special.  Without further ado, here’s movies 1-5.)

 

#5- Spirited Away
The only Anime to win Best Animated Feature at the Oscars?  How could this one not get my attention?  And man, I wish I had gotten to see it theaters.  Spirited Away…well blew me away, pure and simple.  The world is huge and it only mostly takes place in a hot springs for wayward spirits of all places.  It’s both scary and exciting, an excellent combination for a childrens story.  The main character actually progresses from a whiny brat to a strong heroine.  And, the sequence with the “Stink Spirit” is easily one of my favorite sequences in all of Anime.  It doesn’t get as close to perfection as that.  It won that Oscar alright, deservedly so.

 

#4-Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence
I love most sequels.  From The Empire Strikes Back to Captain America: The Winter Soldier, I love it when continuations come out and turn out to be better than the original.  Innocence is one of those kinds of sequels.  There’s more action, the animation is some of the best Production IG has ever churned out, the music…can Kenji Kawaii do no wrong (?) and the story is a natural progression for the characters.  And while some of the twists, turns and philosophical references go way over my head, this is still an interesting movie to watch.  Plus, Ghost in the Shell 2 stands as one of the first Anime films I saw relatively close to it’s original release, as it was brought over to the states a couple of months after it’s debut in Japan.  Getting to see something still fresh from Japan itself was an amazing feeling. 

 

#3-Galaxy Express 999
When people talk about Anime classics, they’re thinking about titles like Galaxy Express 999.  And how could they not?  Galaxy Express feels like a classic fairy tale set in space…aboard a star traveling locomotive.  There are lessons about growing up, swashbuckling rogues with laser and sabers, beautiful and enchanting maidens, and an overall sense of wonder that, thankfully, still holds up even today.  I only saw Galaxy Express 999 for the first time a couple years back but it grabbed me and always does whenever ive watched it since.  By the time the movie ends, much like Tetsuro’s time aboard Three Nine, I don’t want to leave.  I want to keep going.  Granted that might not have been such a smart request given how the sequel came out.  But the original film remains an unblemished gem im happy to recommend to anyone looking for a good sci fi flick that happens to be a stellar Anime.

 

#2-Akira
Oh the stories I could tell about this one.  From my youngest days as an Anime fan, I always kept seeing this one advertised as the Anime that was “Not for Kids.”  And everywhere I looked, everyone kept saying the name “Akira” whenever they talked about the greatest Anime ever made.  When I finally got to see it, I saw that the hype was well deserved.  Akira kicks ass.  The action, especially the opening bike chase, is all kinds of bloody, unique and over the top.  The soundtrack is something that has never been replicated ever since ive heard it.  The characters will stay with you, even if what you remember of Tetsuo is his terrifying facial expressions.  And while the ending doesn’t make much sense to me…the metamorphosis sequence that precedes it still scares the living daylights out of me.  Akira is a movie every Anime fan owes it to themselves to see.  There are those who say, without it, we wouldn’t have all of the Anime in America that we have today.  If anything else, watch the first ten minutes, see that biker battle, and see the images that changed my life as an Anime fan, forever.

 

#1-Summer Wars
Did I ever guess how much on an impact this movie would have on me?  I never knew anything about it, hardly even the title when I saw it on a DVD shelf.  Did I imagine id be crying by movies end, tears of joy no less?  No, not at all.  And you know what, that probably made the experience all the more special.  Summer Wars is all things action, comedy, sci fi, slice of life and thriller all thrown into one package (a redone package since this is basically a much better reskin of the second Digimon movie, same director and all).  But at the heart of the digital world elements, is a family trying to save the world and stay true to itself, no matter who screws up.  Sake, the head of the Jinnouchi family, is one of the best Anime mentors and figure heads ive ever seen…mostly because she reminds me of a family member of my own who would’ve been just like her if she’d lived that long.  The final act always gets my heart going, seeing one tiny avatar ask the Jinnouchi’s to save the world followed by millions of others.  I will always start crying at that point and always go “F*** YEAH” come time to roll credits.  Summer Wars is a very special movie to me.  I didn’t think Akira could ever be topped…I was happily wrong.

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