Thanksgiving is the time of the year I almost consider a
prep for Christmas in terms of holiday spirit and meaning. It’s a time to get together with family and
friends and think back on how much you cherish them, as well as all of the
other things that have happened in your life.
As the title suggests, it’s a time to be thankful. This year has…sucked to say the least. Those of you who know me know why I say
that. A lot of crap has happened, most
of it not the best and, in many respects, it’s still ongoing. But that doesn’t mean the year has been all
bad. My thoughts are always with friends
and family, but im also thinking about this blog. I think in 2017 ive written some of my
strongest reviews and articles to date and im so happy with how this blog has grown. The power of Anime has gotten me through many
a dark day this year and today, the day before Thanksgiving, I’m giving my
favorite entertainment genre all my love.
Yep, today’s Top 5 will be dedicated to the Top 5 Anime Things Im
Thankful For in 2017. This could be
shows, events, people, if I has to do with Anime and I have a soft spot for it,
it’s on this Top 5.
#5-Gigguk
If Steve Blum’s Tom 2.0 from Toonami was the voice of my
Anime childhood, Gigguk has been the voice of my Anime adulthood. Not only can he produce incredibly hilarious
reviews and various coverage stories on Anime across the board, Gigguk can also
speak to a much deeper, more personal side of the average Anime fan. What he always says, comes from the heart, be
it the parody, the honest, or the really bad truth (Neo Yokio is so bad it
drove him a bit mad I think). Several of
his videos have made me laugh my ass off (like his recent Black Clover review)
and have moved me to the point of tears (his epic Your Name review). If there is one voice in the Anime community I’d
love to meet more than Steve Blum, it’s this guy and I hope he somehow can
attend an Anime convention on the east coast sometime. Til then, be sure to check out his youtube
page for some of the best Anime opinions out there, he is a very wise man.
Gigguk Youtube:
#4-Rinaca and
Surine Cosplay
Rinaca and Surine are a pair of cosplayers from Denmark
who have rocked the cosplay community with their awesome character portrayals
and their real life love story that echoes in their character pairings as much
as their real lives. I’ve followed them
both on social media for a bit but back in the Spring, we actually chatted back
and forth for a bit, talking about mostly Overwatch (thanks to their kick ass Tracer
and Widowmaker cosplays). From there, I
was pointed towards Haikyuu as a new show to watch, and also My Hero
Academia. Thanks to my chats with them, I
resurrected First Impression Friday in the late summer thanks to a list of shows
the recommended…and I still kind of need to watch (that’s my bad). The power Rinaca and Surine have to inspire
everyone with their words, their hearts and their cosplay work knows no limits
and I’m glad ive gotten to chat with them on and off again this year. It’s always a plus to make new friends in the
Anime world.
Head over to their Facebook Pages to peruse their cosplay
resume (and prepare to be blown away)
Rinaca Cosplay:
Surine Cosplay:
#3-Gundam Wing:
High Definition
With the announcement that Mobile Suit Gundam Wing was
returning to the DVD/Blu-Ray market this year, I was pretty excited at the
chance to finally add it to my collection.
While that hasn’t happened yet, Crunchyroll added the show to their
streaming service and, best yet, it was in HD (basically this is how the Blu-Ray
is going to look). It may lack the popular
English Dub from the Toonami era, but I still took the opportunity to finally
rewatch it and, more importantly, review it for this blog. Those of you who have been reading here for a
while know that Gundam Wing is why I really got into Anime and why I have codenamed
myself and named my blog after it. In
rewatching the show this summer, I got to go on a nostalgia trip and see the
good, the not so great and what isn’t totally the best…yeah Wing may not be as
shiny as it was back in the year 2000 but it is still a damn important series
to me. It all culminated in what might
be the most heartfelt, honest, final thoughts of a review ive written to date:
“There are better Gundam stories out there: the original
Gundam 0079, 08th MS Team, 0080 to name a few, with better pacing, character
and plot development and more consistent animation levels. But let me be absolutely clear about this:
Don’t think for one second that I’m writing Gundam Wing off as a bad nostalgia
trip or an unimportant entry in the Gundam franchise. Without this show, for better or worse,
Gundam would not be the name it is in the US Anime community. Like many others, the images of the
characters, battles and the Gundams themselves, are the first that come to mind
often when I hear “Gundam”. That, in and
of itself, is a negative with “die hard” fans who think that Wing’s popularity
overshadows better entries in the franchise.
It’s tough to try and get others into other Gundam entries but not
impossible (I found the original series and 08th MS Team a year later and love
them to death). In the end, I’m on both
sides of the fence as to whether or not Id recommend Gundam Wing as the
starting point for new fans. I could
easily say, watch Mobile Suit Gundam first because it’s where everything began
for Gundam. For me, I’d say start with
Wing…because at the end of the day, this is where Gundam started for me. Flaws and all, I will never forget that and
as much as I’ve ragged on it, I will stand up for this show until the day I
die.
Impossible, you say?
I say…Mission Accepted.”
Only an Anime that I hold very near and dear to my heart
could get that much honesty from me.
#2-Katsucon 2017
I wasn’t able to get to Otakon for it’s first showing in
DC this year. However, I was able to
make it to Katsucon back in February and, let me tell ya, it was a trip I needed
and am glad I went on. Going a day early
and watching the con slowly come to life was nothing short of magical. Being able to spend the weekend with some
really good friends I met at Otakon was a blessing. Once again meeting awesome cosplayers like Fawnina
again and meeting newly discovered ones like Byndo Gehk are feelings ill never
get used to (it’s like meeting approachable and nice rockstars). The general feeling was one I have felt a few
times from con to con…the feeling that I never wanted this weekend to end. Katsucon 2017 was a year I hold up there with
the best of the cons ive been to (Katsu 2015 and Otakon 2011 and 2013). The Dealer’s Room vibes, the humongous
Overwatch photoshoot, a reunion with friends in the Game Room, hell the really
freaky warm weather. It reminded me why I
think of Anime Conventions as a home away from home. Whenever I’m there, I feel safe, happy…well…home.
For more thoughts on that amazing weekend in February,
you can check out my previous Top 5’s for Katsucon 2017
Top 5 Katsucon
2017 Moments:
Top 5 Katsucon
2017 Cosplays:
#1-Your Name
When I first went to see this movie, I only knew two
things about it: The title and the fact that the Anime world was praising this
film like it was their equivalent of the second coming. The positive reviews would not stop and I couldn’t
understand why all this buzz was being generated around a film without much of
an initial pedigree or franchise behind it.
This was Miyazaki level good hype.
Then I saw Your Name…and I found myself crying…a lot. I ended up seeing Your Name twice: first in
Japanese and the second time in English.
Both times, I was always super into it, loving the characters, digging
the animation, beyond blown away by how well the premise work, nodding to the
soundtrack, almost ready to cheer when something amazing happened to Taki and
Mitsuha. The last time an Anime film
made me feel all of these emotions and more was Summer Wars. Your Name easily ranks up there with it, as
well as Akira, Ghost in the Shell and Spirited Away. Though it came out in 2016 in Japan, I am
breaking a rule of mine when making a Top 3 list of movies for a year and have
placed Your Name on that list, where it has sat since April. Blade Runner 2049 couldn’t dethrone it and,
though im super hyped for it, im not even certain Star Wars: The Last Jedi will
be able to knock it off the spot. Your
Name may not have had a Gundam or any real action (tons of tension but no gun
totting bonaza’s). But much like FLCL,
Gundam Wing or even Code Geass, it reminded me of why I love Anime…and why
certain films of Your Name’s caliber can make me fall in love with it all over
again.
My full review of Your Name is right here:
That’s it for me today.
What is everyone else thankful for this year, IRL, Anime or
otherwise? Whatever it is, keep it close
to your heart and enjoy Thursday with the people that matter…and the food that
is just a really kick ass bonus.
Happy Holidays everyone from me right here at the Gundam
Anime Corner.
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