T5W#310-Top 5 Anime I Watched with my Dad

On December 11, 2020, my father, Arschel Morell Jr., passed away from complications due to a brain disease that caused multiple strokes in rapid succession.  I never really talked about it here on the blog because it was painful enough to think about and I wanted to try and stay positive somewhere.  But, a Top 5 for my Dad has been long overdue.  This upcoming Sunday, July 25, would have been his 70^th birthday and I cant think of a better time to pay tribute to the best man I’ve ever known than right here right now.  My Dad is the reason I first discovered my nerdom, him being the more Sci-Fi side of things while my Mom’s easily the Fantasy side.  He was never the biggest Anime fan in the world but he appreciated it and supported my love for what’s become my favorite medium.  So it’s no shock he’d get interested in some titles: either through me or on his own, and sometimes those interests crossed paths.  So, to honor my Dad, my Top 5 Wednesday for today is the Top 5 Anime I Watched with my Dad.  Movies, TV, if it’s Anime and we saw it at some point together…well these are the ones that mattered the most.  Love you Dad…this ones for you. 

#5-Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence

I wish I could say I was always into Ghost in the Shell.  Truth is, I never got into it until the Summer of 2004 when Innocence was announced.  My Dad and I took a roadtrip that same summer and I was raving about my excitement for it through an article in Anime Insider.  Turns out, I wouldn’t have to wait long to see this long awaiting Ghost in the Shell sequel as it arrived in limited release in the US in the Fall of 2004 (something was I hadn’t really heard of yet since I had to wait years for Gundam shows or new episodes of Dragon Ball Z).  A local theater in Baltimore was lucky enough to get a copy and Dad was nice enough to take me to see Innocence just before my Birthday, we even watched the original Ghost in the Shell together as prep a few days prior.  Honestly, you guys know I love Innocence and think its an amazing sequel.  For me, it’s the experience with Dad that made this viewing so great.  The movie was show in a specialty theater deep in the complex that used to be part of a Dinner and a Movie theater before it closed and the AMC got built around it and absorbed it (Mom and Dad actually spent an Anniversary there seeing The 13^th Warrior).  Watching Ghost in the Shell in leather reclining seats was a whole new kind of thrill for a life long movie attendee like me

 

#4-My Hero Academia

When Dad passed, I had a mountain of regrets: things unsaid though im sure he knew them; me wishing I’d paid better attention to his wisdom, all of that stuff.  It might seem miniscule…but in 2020 I actually got him into My Hero Academia, after failing to get him to watch the Two Heroes movie a while back.  Dad was always a big fan of Superheroes and Comic Books, hell its why I got into them as well.  This Anime take on the world of heroes with a fresh coating of optimism and a lot less dreariness (COUGH COUGH DCEU COUGH) got his attention and he wanted to know more about it.  Buuuuut he wasn’t keen on watching MHA without me and we never found the time to watch more than the first few episodes.  I even bought Season Two and Three with the intention of us getting to them eventually.  A lesson to all: if your parent takes an interest in your favorite Anime…embrace that and watch it as much as you can.  I can only imagine what Dad would’ve thought about the big throwdown between All Might and All For One…I know he’d def point to me and say, “Next time: It’s your turn.”

 

#3-Cowboy Bebop: The Movie-Knockin on Heaven’s Door

I remember back in early High School when Cowboy Bebop came on Adult Swim late Sunday nights.  I could never be up for it so I had Dad record the entire series on VHS so I could watch it later in the week.  He saw some of it on his own this way and he was intrigued.  When the Bebop Movie finally got released stateside in 2003, I was pumped and I begged Dad continuously to take me to see it.  But it seemed like fate was against me on this one as matter after matter kept coming up that kept us from catching a show anytime.  Finally, late on a Sunday night when I was getting ready for bed, Dad knocked on my door and asked me, on a school night, if I wanted to try and catch a late screening of the Bebop movie.  I threw on my Red Dragons shirt and, after a series of other events that got us there late, we got to site in the theater and watch Spike and the Gangs epic adventure.  It was one of the most magical evenings I ever had in High School and reminded me of the few times Dad would take me to similar late night screenings or get me out of school early to watch a popular movie.

 

#2-Summer Wars 

During the Year of Hell that was 2020, my Dad and I came up with a Saturday Night Event for just the two of us.  Every week we’d take turns picking Movies, Documentaries, even TV shows to marathon, just me and him.  Dad and I have similar tastes but even he showed me some of his favorite musicals and music documantaries that were…well most were hit some were misses.  Me, I went for more my side of things with Action and Anime.  While rewatching Cowboy Bebop: The Movie is what started this little Summer Event that lasted right up until he passed, probably the most important Anime I showed him during this time was Summer Wars.  Ironically I guess, part of my love for Summer Wars has to do with the passing of another important family member, my Great Aunt, who im reminded of everytime I see Grandma Jinouchi on screen.  I paused the movie at a certain point to talk to Dad about this and he agreed with my sentiments, it was a good memory to have and I’m glad Dad loved watching this movie along with me.

 

#1-Akira

Growing up, my Parents had a pretty firm stance on what my sister and I could watch…so anything lower than a PG13 was off the table for a long time and many PG13s had to be approved by them first.  Akira was a title I’d heard of for years as the ultimate Hard R Anime that put Anime on the map here in the States (VHS copies were even slapped with a “Not for Kids” sticker).  When Akira was rereleased with a new dub and sound design by Pioneer (later Geneon), I was hyped for its return.  As luck would have it, helping my family track down a hard to find movie for a school project would net a reward of my choosing…and I chose Akira.  Over the course of three nights, I watched this life changing movie with my Dad.  He wasn’t really squeamish about watching it with me if I’m honest.  I think he was just as blown away by the visuals, story and brilliance of an Anime that was way beyond its time when it was released in 1988.  Ignoring the whole Adult Supervision aspect, I got to watch Akira with my Dad and he liked it…how can that not be my favorite Dad related Anime memory of all time?