Lurker > Mobilezoid

GLT is an odd mix of depressing and uplifting. Danger and relaxation. It strikes me as the kind of anime that will really appeal to some people and not appeal at all to others. It was one of the few anime I've recommended to my brother and he couldn't even get past the first episode!

3. Girls Last Tour
https://myanimelist.net/anime/35838/Shoujo_Shuumatsu_Ryokou
Fall 2017 (12 episodes)
My Score: 10/10, MAL Score: 8.20/10
Best Character: Chito

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mF5MKNwbRhg
(I think this has other scenes edited over parts of the OP, but it was the closest thing I could find)

Premise: Two young girls, Chito and Yuuri, are some of the last humans left after wars and other cataclysms led to a long decline. They ride through the ruins of a multilevel city, scavanging for supplies while wondering about the people who used to live there.

The Good: Girls' Last Tour is a post-apocalyptic slice-of-life. Chito and Yuuri wear military uniforms, ride around on an armored bike, and carry guns. However, this isn't remotely an action anime. It's a lot closer to being relaxing like Laid-Back Camp. Military gear is just one of the most plentiful things left to scavenge in the ruins of civilization. The multilevel megacity is such an interesting setting. Parts of it are familiar, but other areas are entirely alien or too broken to even understand. It's also large enough for the girls to get lost for days in what looks like maintenance corridors. I loved seeing new places because of what I could infer about the world and the things that had happened in it. There was a lot of history and creative touches packed into the places the girls wandered through.

I was always happy to see what the girls would find and what they would do, too. A story like this, set just before the end of humanity with no hope that things will get better, could've easily been too bleak to enjoy. GLT does often have a melancholic tone, both in the signs of wasteful excess and destruction that are plentiful in the city and in the signs of human lives and joys that are now gone forever. Chito and Yuuri still have each other, however, and that's enough for them to keep pushing forward. They rarely let anything get them down for long. Instead they marvel at the wonders and try to imagine how things used to be. They also delight in finding little moments, even something as simple as shooting out a working hot water pipe to create a makeshift bath. Who knew the end of the world could be so cozy? I also loved the conversations they had, which were often philosophical and meaningful without getting too preachy. It was just realistic. These are the kinds of things people would talk about in this situation when there's nothing better to do. Everything in this anime was enthralling.

The Bad: I've said it before and I'll say it again. The biggest flaw in Girls' Last Tour is that it ended after only one season. At least it stopped at a good point, but, still. From what I know it adapted most of the manga. It would've been nice to get a few extra episodes just to reach the end. Other than that, I thought Yuuri could be a bit much at times. She worked as someone for Chito to interact with, but Yuuri could be a bit annoying at times.

Overall: Girls' Last Tour is another anime I classify in my head as "cute girls with deeper themes". It isn't quite my favorite one of those, but it was still just such a wonderful and unique experience. The apocalyptic setting was always interesting and packed with details. The girls were really good too. I have a soft spot for stories where characters are able to find happiness no matter how hopeless their situation is. Even though humanity is doomed, it was surprisingly nice to watch Chito and Yuuri wander around while living in the moment as best as possible.

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/4/4/6/AAcDcBAAD70W.png

CHARACTER: Chito (Girls Last Tour)
https://myanimelist.net/character/154098/Chito
Voiced by: Minase Inori
TOP 100 RANK: 91st

SPOILERS FOR GIRLS LAST TOUR

VIDEO LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ulcgmM9U3lk

Thst video shows one of my favorite moments in Girls' Last Tour. It starts to rain, so the two take refuge in the ruined shell of some ancient war machine. Eventually they realize the rhythmic potential of droplets striking metal, and they set up enough to create a beautiful song. It's the kind of moment they found over and over again on their journey. It's a simple joy, and it didn't need a bunch of resources or preparation. It was just a nice rhythm that they experienced together. For me, at least, moments like this were poignant and beautiful. The girls were always barely scraping by, but there were signs everywhere in the city of how well people used to live. That excess, coupled with wars to claim even more, was what doomed humanity. If something as simple as a song made by the rain could be so mesmerizing, it makes me wonder if there was even a point to all that progress towards inevitable destruction.

Chito and Yuuri really are an inseparable team. Still, of the two, Chito was easily my favorite. She cared about more than food, for one thing. Chito kept a journal and treasured books. She was always the voice of reason, and the one who tried to honor the memory of the people who were now gone. I really liked the scene where they explored what turned out to be a graveyard. For one thing, it was another nice thematic moment when they realized the useless objects they were finding, like a button or a scrap of cloth, were actually people's treasured possessions. Again, it doesn't take a whole lot for a small thing to become meaningful. When Chito realized that, she insisted on putting the objects back. After all, if they were taken from that place, the items would lose all meaning.

One of my favorite things in GLT was seeing the city and trying to imagine its history. I loved moments like when they explored a crater and realized it was damaged in some ancient battle. Then people who settled the area afterwards had another big battle around the crater. It really drove home the theme that humanity had brought this on themselves. Still, the great thing about GLT was that it never wallowed in gloom. I loved the video montage they saw from the camera near the end of the series. Alongside newsclips of war and images of unimaginable destruction, there were also simple moments with families or children playing or girls giving a school report. It's nice to remember that it wasnt all bad. Seeing the regular lives those people had also gives Chito and Yuuri the strength to keep going. Even in a world with no hope, it's important to always remember that there's still happy things too.

I finished another recommendation today (Beastars) but I'll wait until Thursday before doing a write-up for it. I'm going to miss slowly typing out anime thoughts on my phone to kill time when things are quiet at work. I want to stretch these out as long as possible.

MartinFF7 posted...

I can't believe we're so close to the end and we've run out of room for several legendary series to appear.

There are definitely a lot of popular anime I haven't seen! Of the 60 anime in the last anime save-my, for instance, I've only seen 27 (or will see counting recommendations). There are a few really big names I was expecting people to recommend, but I don't know how many episodes they have or if they're streaming anywhere, so that might be why.

Aru (QP Shooting/Xmas Shooting series)

No idea what this is but unique names ftw

Bonestorm

COMING UP TOMORROW:
3: The ranking is almost over, but first this anime will take one final look around.
C91: This character doesn't bother with carrying a weapon.
2: This anime isn't allowed to go outside.
C1: This character keeps everyone's spirits high.

4. A.I.C.O.: Incarnation
https://myanimelist.net/anime/36039/AICO__Incarnation
Spring 2018 (12 episodes)
My Score: 10/10, MAL Score: 6.54/10
Best Character: Tachibana Aiko

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oq9fFLVSroA

Premise: A self-replicating organism known as Matter has gone out of control and now threatens the world. Tachibana Aiko, a young woman who lost her family to the initial disaster, learns that shes the key to stopping it. However, thatll mean fighting their way back to the facility where it all began.

The Good: AICO is a sci-fi action anime, and everything about it seemed designed to appeal to me specifically. To start with, I love the Matter. Its basic form is a self-replicating mass of red ooze that's been snaking its way down what used to be a river. It possesses a kind of intelligence and is capable of shapeshifting into various dangerous, alien forms. The only real weapon against it are cartridges with a chemical mixture, but the Matter quickly mutates so different parts of it require different mixtures and nothing works for long. I love the battle scenes where the characters have to stay alive while trying to get a sample so they can mix the right bullets. It added a strategic element beyond "shoot the thing until it dies". Everyone had different roles, and where they were or how they covered each other really mattered. There's lots of pseudoscience behind the Matter, and learning all the layers of the disaster that spawned it was interesting. Still, the important thing is that no one has been able to stop it. All the dams along the river, which were converted into makeshift blockades, have been overrun and abandoned. Now only one final gate sits between it reaching the ocean, which, in theory, would mean the end of the world.

That's where a high-school girl named Aiko comes in. Her father worked at the facility where the Matter was created, and her whole family was there on that fateful day. Aiko was the only one who escaped, and she's still recuperating when a mysterious transfer student approaches her. He convinces her that she's the key to stopping the Matter. There are competing factions involved, including government agencies torn between studying the Matter or trying to destroy it with heavy ordinance. Aiko sides with a ragtag group of mercenaries who are willing to fight their way up the river. Aiko is one of the best anime characters ever, as I'll talk about more in her write-up. She approaches this strange situation in a realistic and compelling way. I liked all the other characters too, even if not all of them get much development. They all fulfill their roles. I even sympathized with the closest thing the story had to a human antagonist, which really sold the conflict. Beyond that, I also loved the story's pacing. Its so focused on a singular goal, and there are very few detours along the way. There are also some interesting themes about sense of self and ideas like the greater good.

The Bad: There are one or two nitpicks I could harp on (I'm not sure if they ever explain why they need to fight up the infested river, couldnt they just walk right to the facility from the other side?), but I love AICO and I refuse to let minor plot holes ruin it for me. The biggest problem was that it released with a terrible dub. Apparently it now has a new dub thats merely mediocre, I dunno, I only watched it subbed. Still, no matter where I looked when this was new, the awful dub was all anyone talked about and it felt like no one gave it a real chance. Now this wonderful anime has faded into obscurity. It won't appeal to everyone as much as it did to me, obviously, but it deserves so much more credit than it initially got.

Overall: AICO is my favorite action anime. It has one of the most perfect stories Ive ever seen. I love the awesome fight scenes and compelling character dynamics as Aiko and her guardians fight their way through the alien Matter, all while political and scientific figures are maneuvering behind the scenes. Theres hardly a wasted moment, and every aspect manages to come together for a satisfying conclusion.

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/8/0/1/AAcDcBAAD7qR.jpg

CHARACTER: Tachibana Aiko (A.I.C.O.: Incarnation)
https://myanimelist.net/character/148848/Aiko_Tachibana
Voiced by: Shiraishi Haruka
TOP 100 RANK: 3rd

SPOILERS FOR A.I.C.O.: INCARNATION

VIDEO LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tw4V7PBt4Xw

The story opens with Tachibana Aiko still confined in a wheelchair, slowly recovering from the tragedies that have defined her life. First, she lost her father and was seriously injured in a car accident. Then she lost her mother and brother in the Burst. I like how Aiko carries herself early on. She isnt constantly depressed. She has friends and hobbies like making paper airplanes. Its still a melancholy scene when she returns to her empty home for the first time and sees all those reminders of the loved ones who are now gone.

She soon learns the truth behind the Matter. The surgery after her car accident involved swapping her brain into an artificial body, and this was what triggered the Burst. I like how realistically Aiko takes all of this. Her first instinct is to run away, and even for much of the story after that shes wary of the mysterious transfer student who is her only source that any of this is true. Ultimately, the mysterious visions shes been getting seem to prove a connection to the Matter, and the hope that her mother and brother are still alive is too enticing for Aiko to ignore.

Even though shes essentially cargo for everyone else to deliver, I love how Aiko refuses to be dead weight during their journey. Shes always aware of the risk everyone else is taking, and she tries to help them however she can. Using her awareness of the Matters movements to provide support gives her a unique role. Theres also an awesome scene where her enhanced body lets her wield a rifle in each hand. Aiko can be a badass when she needs to be! Whenever they reached a checkpoint and shocked the Matter so they could have a brief reprieve, her connection to it made that agonizing for Aiko. I liked the strength she showed in bearing that pain and then pushing on.

All of that is great, but what really makes Aiko one of my favorite characters is how she reacts to the final plot twist. It turns out shes the artificial brain, not the human one. Shes the one who needs to die to stop the Matter. I love that Aiko isnt a self-sacrificing saint right away. Her first instinct is to panic and flee. Once shes had a heart-to-heart with her other self, though, Aiko is ready to die so that everyone else may live. And its this final choice that convinces everyone shes worthy of life after all, and they fight to make that possible. There's a bit of an ass-pull with that hamster thing remaking her body, but, oh well. It was still a great moment, and the themes of sacrifice and one's sense of self were compelling. One of my favorite things in fiction is comparing different sides of a character, and the real and artificial Aikos allowed for that.

The video I linked is just the ED. It doesn't seem especially meaningful, at least not until the very end once the viewer realizes what it means. It shows one Aiko on a hike back down the river, reconnecting with her past. The other is moving forward into a classroom, ready to live a life of their own. I love how the ED turned out to be an epilogue all along. AICO really was a beautiful story.

Creature

5. Akudama Drive
https://myanimelist.net/anime/41433/Akudama_Drive
Fall 2020 (12 episodes)
My Score: 10/10, MAL Score: 7.61/10
Best Character: Swindler

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SJ8iRrphkQo

Premise: Set in a cyberpunk future, the city of Kansai has both technological wonders and criminals called akudama. One of the most dangerous, a mass murderer known as Cutthroat, is about to be executed. However, a mysterious benefactor has hired several other top akudama to rescue him, and an ordinary person gets swept up along with them.

The Good: Akudama Drive is a sci-fi action anime. The cyberpunk setting is wonderful. It's full of neon signs and futuristic splendor contrasted against the dark underbelly of society. This isn't just a standard sci-fi setting, however. The world had a lot of creative ideas and hinted at interesting lore as well. I loved learning everything about it. Still, the characters are the main draw in this anime. There are six akudama criminals, each with their own personality and special skills. There's a master hacker who can get into any system, a courier with a fancy bike, a brawler with super strength, and so on. I loved every single one if them. There were a lot of awesome fight scenes in this, but they were equally as entertaining when they were all just standing around bickering. Each of the akudama has a forceful personality, and they didn't always work well together.

Still, my favorite character was a woman who was a completely ordinary person. Circumstances put her in the wrong place at the wrong time, and she's confronted by the akudama crew. Her only way out is to pretend that she's an akudama too. She claims to be a master trickster named Swindler. Then she needs to keep up the act while under intense scrutiny and while being dragged along through seemingly impossible situations. She works great as audience avatar reacting to the insanity just like an ordinary person would. She also adds to the group dynamic surprisingly well. During her misadventures with these criminals, she gets to experience every aspect of society. The story goes to some genuinely compelling places. The themes are great too, examining things like oppression and authority. There's also wonderful action scenes, occasional gore, and a lot of fun moments to balance that darkness out and keep it from becoming too bleak. This show excelled at everything it did. It was all just so stylish and cool.

The Bad: There are no flaws. Akudama Drive isn't even an anime where I can say the generic "it's too bad there weren't more episodes or another season ". This is a self-contained story that doesn't need additional content, and more episodes might've screwed up the perfect pacing.

Overall: Akudama Drive is probably the anime in my top ten with the most mainstream appeal. If anyone following along with my ranking feels compelled to watch at least something, this is your best bet. The interesting characters, difficult situations, and intense action scenes coupled with an overall fun tone probably could've carried the anime on their own. The fact that Akudama Drive also has so much depth beyond that is what elevated it into my all-time favorites.

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/6/5/0/AAcDcBAAD7n6.png

CHARACTER: Swindler (Akudama Drive)
https://myanimelist.net/character/179399/Ordinary_Person
Voiced by: Kurosawa Tomoyo
TOP 100 RANK: 31st

SPOILERS FOR AKUDAMA DRIVE

VIDEO LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zit7N-M9_gc

At the beginning of the story, this character really is an ordinary person. She works a regular job, then goes home to do it all over again the next day. That all changes when she has a chance encounter with the akudama called Courier. She gets arrested for a petty crime, and that puts her right in the path of the akudama crew breaking out Cutthroat. She pretends to be an akudama herself, claiming that, as the trickster Swindler, she even managed to erase all evidence of herself, and that's why none of them have heard of her. Their mysterious benefactor is happy to have another criminal on the team, and Cutthroat develops an uncomfortable obsession towards her and vows to protect her. Most of the others don't really care. Only Doctor doubts Swindler's story, which is enough to keep the ordinary person nervous.

This anime couldve easily been too dark to be enjoyable, especially with an innocent girl surrounded by dangerous killers. Thankfully, Swindler's situation is usually played for absurd comedy instead. I loved watching her string together dumb lies, and she was also fun in parallel with Hoodlum who was pretending to be a much more dangerous akudama than he really was. The group dynamic, action scenes, and hints of bigger things carried the show through the Shinkansen robbery. Then they rescued two mysteriously immortal artificial children, and the real depth of the plot began coming into focus. Swindler learned the truth about Kansai, as well as what the mythical Kanto actually was. She viewed these kids as a normal person would, too. Despite their powers or whatever sacrificial role they're expected to serve, they're still just kids. Swindler becomes genuinely invested in getting them to safety.

She started the story as an ordinary person, but I loved Swindler's believable transformation into the exact badass akudama she'd been pretending to be. She actually does swindle Kansai into chaos. Not once, but twice! She also manages to hold her own when the deranged Cutthroat finally snapped. Still, my absolute favorite moment in the anime is in the video I linked. It has such a spoilery title that I wasnt sure if I should link it even with the spoiler tag, but it's too good of a moment to pass up. Swindler finally embraced her accidental akudama identity, and then she got her own intro just like the others did way back at the start! It was so epic, and helped ease the sadness of what happened immediately after. Plus, Swindler won in the end. The kids get to safety and, with any luck, Kansai might start addressing its deeply rooted societal problems. Swindler's whole arc was just so fun and satisfying.

Creature

SCP-4666/The Yule Man (The SCP Foundation)

Outer Wilds was a game I really wanted to like. I tried it twice for a few hours each, months apart. I also simply couldn't get into it because of the controls. Some of the puzzles (the few I could interact with) and the story seemed neat, but playing it just wasn't fun.

I remember what made me finally quit. I really wanted to see what the deal was in Sun Station so I looked up how to get there and finally managed to get past the first obstacle after over a dozen deaths. Then I needed to make a short trip through space and I promptly blew it and careened off into the void instead. I was so angry and had no desire to try again.

Santa Claus (Santa's Slay)

SCP-4666/The Yule Man (The SCP Foundation)

I actually hadn't read this SCP before the contest. Yule Man is pretty creepy!

Sumo Santa (ClayFighter 63 1/3)

COMING UP TOMORROW:
8: This anime is running away to a new country.
C5: This character has cut most of their hair off.
7: This anime is being sent to a fortress in a small town.
C38: This character wants to learn how to play music.

EDIT: There must be some error in the character numbers because I said Rin would be 56 in the hint yesterday but she's 57 in the write-up. I'm not sure at the moment which is right, but I'll figure it out when I get home. I'm guessing no one cares about their exact number other than me, though! EDIT 2: Squid Girl is one off too, oh no!

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/2/2/0/AAcDcBAAD7B8.png

CHARACTER: Shima Rin (Laid-Back Camp)
https://myanimelist.net/character/152119/Rin_Shima
Voiced by: Touyama Nao
TOP 100 RANK: 57th

SPOILERS FOR LAID-BACK CAMP

VIDEO LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FpbhgAZeVcM

I dont like her as much as the energetic Nadeshiko, but Rin is still a great character. Shes a good example of an introvert who isnt shy and doesnt hate other people. She just usually prefers to be on her own. Using her trusty motor scooter and camping gear given to her by her grandfather, Rin takes a lot of joy in visiting winter campsites. She sets up her tent and chair, builds a fire, and then kicks back and reads a book. It all feels so ritualistic and calming. Rin is quiet, but shes still a nice girl. When Nadeshiko is stranded and needs help, Rin gives her food and helps her contact home without any trouble. They even enjoy the beautiful nighttime view of Mt. Fuji together.

Nadeshiko is overjoyed later when she learns Rin goes to the same school as her. Rin, however, is wary of joining her in the camping club. A few hours is one thing, but Rin treasures her solo camping trips too much to give them up. I really like how the other characters approach this. They dont think Rin is being rude, and her introvertedness isnt treated like a problem that needs to be fixed. They all understand that Rin just likes her alone time. Still, she could stand to open up a little, so Ena tells Nadeshiko where Rin is camping so she can stop by and repay her for the help the other day.

After that, Rin slowly opens up to the idea of camping with other people. The video I linked is a beautiful moment between her and Nadeshiko. Theyre camping in different places, but they share photos and its like theyre closer than ever. Finally, Rin agrees to go camping with everyone, and she has a good time! She still has time to herself, like in the second season when she rode by herself rather than driving with everyone. Rin is still very much a solo camper. She just learns to appreciate spending time with other people as well.

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/2/2/1/AAcDcBAAD7B9.jpg

CHARACTER: Kagamihara Nadeshiko (Laid-Back Camp)
https://myanimelist.net/character/152120/Nadeshiko_Kagamihara
Voiced by: Hanamori Yumiri
TOP 100 RANK: 24th

SPOILERS FOR LAID-BACK CAMP

VIDEO LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T4W_avZNUZE

I picked that video for Nadeshiko because it shows her being a good cook and super comfy. Both of those are important elements of Laid-Back Camps charm. There were a lot of other moments I considered, though! Her awe when she first sees Mt. Fuji. Her joy when she realizes Rin goes to the same school, followed by sprinting straight into a window. The way she accepts that Rin wants alone time, but still reaches out to her to grow closer like in the video I linked for Rin. All of that is great.

Nadeshiko, more than anyone, epitomizes the comfy vibes that make Laid-Back Camp so great. Shes always ready to help cook and enjoy a delicious meal. She was a founding member of secret society BLANKET, which is spreading its influence as we speak. Nadeshiko is just so kind, friendly, and enthusiastic about camping. It was nice watching her no matter what she was doing. I mean, this is a girl who gets hyped over buying her own cute little gas lantern. How can you not love her?

I also like her relationship with her big sister. Sakura often drove Nadeshiko around, and she even had a rough night sleeping in a car just to give her little sister her first camping trip. Theres a nice moment in the second season where Nadeshiko does something nice in return. With her first paycheck from her part-time job, she buys Sakura some reusable hand warmers that she likes. Its clear how touched Sakura was by this, especially since Nadeshiko had been talking nonstop about all the expensive camping gear she needed to buy. She still did something nice for her big sister. I thought that was really sweet.

NOTE: The movie for this came out on Crunchyroll literally yesterday. Ive already watched it, but I wont talk about anything from it in the character write-ups because one day is a bit soon to expect people to have seen it

9. Laid-Back Camp
https://myanimelist.net/anime/34798/Yuru_Camp%E2%96%B3
Winter 2018 (12 episodes), Winter 2021 (13 episodes) plus one movie
My Score: 10/10, MAL Score: 8.27/10 S1, 8.53/10 S2
Best Characters: Kagamihara Nadeshiko, Shima Rin

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7-EwChG1WTA

My Rin and Nadeshiko figures: https://imgur.com/9UXcgji

Premise: Shima Rin enjoys going camping, and she often heads out on solo trips during the winter. Then one night she helps a stranded girl named Kagamihara Nadeshiko, and their encounter awakens a love of camping in her as well.

The Good: Laid-Back Camp is a relaxing slice-of-life about camping. There are five main girls. The first is Rin, an introverted solo-camper who spends most of winter riding on her motor scooter to different campsites. She helps out the energetic Nadeshiko one night, which leads her to embrace the fun of camping too. Nadeshiko joins the schools camping club, meeting Chiaki and Aoi. Rin's friend Ena also sometimes joins them with her adorable dog Chikuwa. All of them have fun personalities and good dynamics with each other.

The best thing about Laid-Back Camp is that it has the perfect relaxing atmosphere. Theres never any real conflict or drama. Its just calming auras while watching these girls live their lives and go camping. Watching this anime is like snuggling up under a warm blanket. I wouldnt call it a comedy, but it has some amazing jokes. I usually hate food porn, but watching these girls cook and enjoy delicious meals on their trips was always nice. There are also educational bits where they teach the viewer about things like how best to start a fire, and those contribute to the laid-back atmosphere too. The art style makes everything look really pretty. Im one of the least outdoorsy people imaginable, and this anime still made camping look like a fun time.

The Bad: Laid-Back Camp is flawless, at least at being the kind of anime it sets out to be. Anyone looking for a compelling plot or deep character development wont find it here. If you want good vibes, though, I cant think of anything better.

Overall: Laid-Back Camp is my favorite relaxing anime. The five cute girls always create the perfect atmosphere on their camping trips. Watching them visit beautiful wilderness locations, set up their gear, and then hang out while eating delicious food was mesmerizing. It also managed to have some poignant moments too, mostly about the importance of appreciating things and enjoying life. If someone is having a bad day, this is the perfect anime to cheer up with.

Creature

I thought it was fun seeing Squid Girl lose or get bullied. She had funny reactions whenever things didn't go her way, plus she had too much of an ego to let anything get her down for long.

10/10 PERFECT TIER

10. Squid Girl
https://myanimelist.net/anime/8557/Shinryaku_Ika_Musume
Fall 2010 (12 episodes), Fall 2011 (12 episodes) plus 2 OVAs
My Score: 10/10, MAL Score: 7.42/10 S1, 7.47/10 S2
Best Character: Squid Girl

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tR64Xn5syrw

My Squid Girl figure: https://imgur.com/AxHOnNq

Premise: Angry at humanity for polluting the ocean, a creature named Squid Girl begins an invasion of the surface. She gets stopped right away at a beach restaurant called Lemon House, and Squid Girl is forced to begin working there!

The Good: Squid Girl is a comedy about an anthropomorphic squid who tries to invade humanity. She has a lot of squid abilities, including tentacle hair which can stretch long distances and pick things up. Despite that, Squid Girl loses at literally the first place she attacks. After breaking a wall at Lemon House, she's forced to start working there to pay for fixing the damages. There are a lot of quirky characters who round out the cast. The main ones are the Aizawa family who own Lemon House. Eiko is the middle sister who is often exasperated by Squid Girl's antics, younger brother Takeru thinks she's fun, and older sister Chizuru is nice and friendly but is terrifyingly strong. There's also a dedicated lifeguard named Goro, a friend of Eiko's named Sanae with a perverted crush on Squid Girl, a group of American scientists who think Squid Girl is an alien and want to study her, and so on.

I really loved Squid Girl. Each episode is split into three comedy segments. While some were certainly better than others, I didn't think any were outright bad on my recent rewatch. Squid Girl herself is a fun character. She's always looking for opportunities to invade humanity even though it's clear she can't dominate anyone. She has a great dynamic with everyone in the cast, and I liked watching them all grow closer. A lot of the jokes in this made me laugh out loud, too. If you have any affection for lame puns, this is the anime for you! In the Japanese audio, Squid Girl ends most of her sentences with 'de geso' (basically she's saying 'tentacles' in the same way a cat girl has random 'nyas' in their sentences). The subtitles get really creative with this and include as many squidding tenta-cool inkcredible puns as they possibly can. It's great. Squid Girl isn't exactly for children, MAL says it's rated PG-13, but it has the charming feeling of an old Saturday morning cartoon. Watching Squid Girl always made me laugh and feel happy.

The Bad: The only bad thing I can think of is that there was never a full third season. I wanted more Squid Girl adventures!

Overall: Squid Girl is my favorite anime that is purely a comedy. Each episode has three segments, and I found almost all of them hilarious and enjoyable. Squid Girl herself is always a lot of fun. She has neat abilities and plays off everyone in the cast in different ways.

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/1/1/7/AAcDcBAAD7AV.jpg

CHARACTER: Squid Girl (Squid Girl)
https://myanimelist.net/character/20512/Ika_Musume
Voiced by: Kanemoto Hisako
TOP 100 RANK: 46th

SPOILERS FOR SQUID GIRL

VIDEO LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LSxVWzFNM0w
(From the first episode)

Squid Girl isn't the most complex character, but she was always lots of fun. She bursts out of the ocean planning to conquer all of humanity in a month or so. When asked how many humans she thinks there are, Squiddie guesses a few thousand. Not that it matters much when one of the first people she encounters is the superhuman Chizuru. Squid Girl starts working at Lemon House after that. She never loses her invader attitude, but the only thing she ever successfully invades is the hearts of her friends.

I enjoyed all the different ways people reacted to Squid Girl. Sanae was obsessed with her, as was Cindy and her scientist cronies because they all really wanted to study an alien. Kids like Takeru and his friends thought she was fun to play with, mostly because Squid Girl's mentality was pretty childlike too. Nagisa was afraid of her, and it was cute how much Squid Girl loved having someone treat her like a serious threat. Her most important friendship is still easily with Eiko. As much as they sometimes annoy one another, whenever it gets down to it, it's clear they both care deeply about each other. I liked the one segment in the OVA episode that was just them playing the crappy games the MIT scientists made.

Squid Girl doesn't know much about the surface world, and it leads to lots of great jokes. She's like a kid a lot of the time in the way she doesn't understand everything or when she sees something cool and wants her own right away. Just a few random examples off the top of my head, it was funny how she was terrified of inflatable orca whale floaties because she thinks they're real and they're her natural predator. It was cute how she wanted her own kiddie pool even though they live right on the beach. Squid Girl played on the teacup ride at the amusement park for ten hours straight and had an absolute blast the whole time. I also love her way of speaking, full of fun squid puns. Like I said at the end of the anime write-up, Squid Girl always made me laugh and feel happy.

It's OK everyone! You don't have to eat meat! I made enough gazpacho for all!

That's tomato soup served ice cold!

COMING UP TOMORROW:
10: This anime is an invader trying to conquer humanity.
C45: This character will die if they take their hat off.
9: This anime is going to sleep outdoors.
C56: This character just wants to be left alone.
C24: This character loves to eat.

Were done the 9/10 Amazing Tier. All that remains are the ten anime in the 10/10 Perfect Tier. As always, thanks for following along, everyone! Remember to give me a recommendation too, if you havent yet (or you can wait until after the top ten if you want)

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/3/3/1/AAcDcBAAD60D.png

CHARACTER: Azusagawa Kaede (Rascal Does Not Dream of Bunny-Girl Senpai)
https://myanimelist.net/character/151021/Kaede_Azusagawa
Voiced by: Kubo Yurika
TOP 100 RANK: 54th

SPOILERS FOR RASCAL DOES NOT DREAM OF BUNNY-GIRL SENPAI

VIDEO LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sYspHQaneLc

Early on in this anime, I noticed the similarities to Monogatari. I liked that other anime well enough, but it had a few significant problems. I was on guard while watching this because I wasnt sure how far those similarities would go. Kaede, being clingy with her brother to the point of sometimes crawling into his bed, set off alarm bells early on. Please dont be like Araragi was with his sisters, I thought. Thankfully, Rascal knew better than to go down that route. Kaede has a surprisingly compelling reason for acting how she does. Getting to know her better turned her into one of my favorite anime characters.

Throughout the anime, we learn Kaede's backstory. She was bullied so badly that adolescence syndrome kicked in. Her affliction took self-harm to a new level as cuts and bruises spontaneously appeared on her body. It even sliced Sakuta's torso with something that looked like claw marks. It got so bad that, finally, Kaede cut herself off from her body. It was essentially amnesia, and the new Kaede had none of the old ones memories. Everyone looked at her like she was broken, like they all wanted her to turn back into someone else. Sakuta was the first one to realize this new Kaede was her own person, and she latched onto him hard after that. She then spent all of her time cooped up in their apartment. Knowing all of that, it makes sense why Kaede acts how she does. Shes a whole new person who doesnt know much about the world. Sakuta is all she really has, so Kaede strives to be the best little sister she can be. It sometimes verges on clingy or inappropriate, but I liked how Sakuta understood why she was like this. He was endlessly protective and supportive.

Even though Mai is a better character, I think Kaede's arc might be my favorite in the show. Its all about her realizing that she cant hide away forever. Inspired by all the other girls shes seen Sakuta help, Kaede makes a list of goals and begins working through them. Its cute watching her accomplish things like going outside, going to the beach, and so on. The more that Kaede manages to do, however, the more it looks like her old personality is resurfacing. Sakuta is afraid to lose the new little sister hes gotten so close to, but he hides that sadness in order to make her last dsys as good as possible. They go see pandas at the zoo, and even visit her school at night. That was the last item on her list. The next morning, the new Kaede is gone and the old one returns with none of her memories. Almost everyone is happy shes back to normal, including Sakuta. He just also feels the pain of having lost her other self. The video I linked is him listening to Kaede's diary, which was a really emotional scene. It shows how much she loved him and appreciated everything he did for her. Sakuta is still sad, but he knows hell have to move on and begin getting to know his old little sister again. Kaede's arc had a lot of things I always enjoy, like amnesia which let me compare and contrast her two distinct personalities. The bittersweet conclusion also really got to me.

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/3/3/2/AAcDcBAAD60E.png

CHARACTER: Sakurajima Mai (Rascal Does Not Dream of Bunny-Girl Senpai)
https://myanimelist.net/character/118739/Mai_Sakurajima
Voiced by: Seto Asami
TOP 100 RANK: 14th

SPOILERS FOR RASCAL DOES NOT DREAM OF BUNNY-GIRL SENPAI

VIDEO LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IXL7OS-eGgg

Unlike the long video for Kaede, the video I linked for Mai is short. Her arc had wonderful moments too, which Ill cover soon, but my favorite thing about Mai is all the little things. Her chemistry with Sakuta is amazing. Theyre both confident people, and they enjoy a certain style of banter and teasing. Then, every so often, one of them manages to make the other get flustered and blush. When it happens to Mai, its always super cute. During the time loop arc, the first time Sakuta asked Mai out was my favorite one. I liked the way she tried to hide behind her script so he wouldnt see her blush when she agreed to date him. The final ask-out was good too, though. The way Mai kissed his cheek was great. Those two are perfect together, and I like how supportive Sakuta is of her acting dreams.

Mai's adolescence syndrome arc is my second-favorite one after Kaede's. Seeing how she dealt with slowly disappearing from everyones perception hooked me right away. Mai tried to play it cool, but the ease with which she accepted Sakuta's help showed that she was worried about it. It clearly hurt when she couldnt even buy food for herself. There were also great moments like when they were in the hotel together and Mai suggested sharing a kiss so Sakuta wouldnt forget her. Once its clear that shell soon fade from his awareness as well, however, Mai accepts it rather than let him kill himself trying to stay awake. He thankfully manages to remember her, which is followed by the public confession scene that was simultaneously embarrassing and awesome. After something like that, no one is able to forget Mai!

After her one big arc, I loved how naturally Mai transitioned into a great support character. She was always quick to believe whatever weirdness Sakuta was dealing with, and she trusted him without being stupid about it. When Futaba needed to stay over, even though she knew nothing would happen, Mai stayed over as well just to guarantee there wouldnt be any dumb drama. When the older Shoko, Sakuta's first crush, left a letter asking to meet him, Mai admitted she was curious about the mysterious girl as well and let him go. I also liked how Mai reacted at the end of Kaede's arc when she realized it had been Shoko, rather than her, who helped him get through the pain. Logically, Mai knows its wrong to be upset, but emotionally I get why it would hurt that another girl was the one to be there for him. Most importantly, they quickly talk it through and make up. Sakuta and Mai are both just such mature people. I enjoyed their relationship a lot, especially the cute little moments like when she admitted that she loved him more than he realizes. I remember her having some epic moments in the movie too, but I couldnt rewatch it and I dont remember it well enough to really talk about it.

11. Rascal Does Not Dream of Bunny-Girl Senpai
https://myanimelist.net/anime/37450/Seishun_Buta_Yarou_wa_Bunny_Girl_Senpai_no_Yume_wo_Minai
Fall 2018 (13 episodes) plus 1 movie
My Score: 9/10, MAL Score: 8.26/10
Best Characters: Sakurajima Mai, Azusagawa Kaede

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BmeBn8A6TuU
(I could only find the OP in 60 FPS, my apologies)

My Mai figure: https://imgur.com/aAq4lfu

Premise: A mysterious syndrome sometimes strikes adolescents, and Azusagawa Sakuta always seems to get swept up in it. One day he meets Sakurajima Mai, a former actress who most people are no longer noticing, not even when she stands right in front of them in a bunny girl outfit.

The Good: Rascal Does Not Dream of Bunny-Girl Senpai is a supernatural drama. The title makes it sound a lot worse than it is. I remember making fun of it before it started airing because it sounded like one of those raunchy comedies that always suck. Then it captivated me a few minutes into the first episode and never let go. The premise is that theres a mysterious affliction called adolescence syndrome (the Crunchyroll subtitles switch to puberty syndrome halfway through, but I prefer adolescence). It hits vulnerable people in different ways, starting with Mai. She used to be an actress until she quit right before high school. Her fame made it difficult for others to approach her, and soon she never interacted with anyone and it was like she was invisible. Adolescence syndrome is making that lonely high school atmosphere into a reality, and more and more people are unable to notice her at all. She meets Sakuta when shes out one day in a sexy bunny girl outfit, which she only wears because itll surely get a reaction if anyone can see her. Sakuta, having encountered adolescence syndrome once before, decides to help Mai figure out how to get past it.

Rascal is similar to the anime Monogatari in a lot of ways. They both have short arcs where the hero encounters a girl who has a unique supernatural problem and he helps her out. However, Rascal is a lot less stylish and a lot more grounded. Unlike Araragi from Monogatari, Sakuta is also thankfully not one of the worst characters ever. He has wit and confidence, and a personality that creates a fun dynamic with almost anyone he meets. His chemistry with Mai in particular is off the charts, but I liked his relationship with each of the girls. Still, for me at least, Sakuta was just the solid foundation supporting the main focus of the show. Each of the arcs explored an adolescent problem in a creative and compelling way. Each of the girls were great characters, and I always sympathized with whatever they were going through. The stories were dramatic without ever becoming melodramatic, and there were lots of fun scenes or great character interactions.

The Bad: I cant think of any big negatives. I guess its lame that the sequel movie still isnt streaming anywhere. I watched it in theaters in 2019 (it was the last time I was in a theater, in fact) but Im sad I couldnt rewatch it for this ranking.

Overall: Rascal Does Not Dream of Bunny-Girl Senpai was such a wonderful surprise when it first aired. That first arc with Sakuta and Mai made me care about both of them and their problems very quickly. The rest of the anime was very well put together as well. I liked eachtof the girls and all of their arcs dealing with adolescence syndrome.

COMING UP TOMORROW:
11: This anime is having problems with adolescence.
C54: This character strives to be the best younger sibling possible.
C14: Not many people are noticing this character anymore.

I know no one but me has seen or cares about Re-Kan, but I still gave it the best write-up I could!

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/3/6/0/AAcDcBAAD6k4.jpg

CHARACTER: Inoue Narumi (Re-Kan)
https://myanimelist.net/character/119717/Narumi_Inoue
Voiced by: Itou Miku
TOP 100 RANK: 78th

SPOILERS FOR RE-KAN

VIDEO LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WpREGB1WFn8
(No subtitles in this video but its five seconds long and the dialogue isnt important)

I already talked in the anime write-up about how hilarious Narumis terror always was. That video is six seconds of her screaming because Hibiki is being dragged off by ghosts, but the voice acting is perfect and it really made me laugh. Re-Kan is full of wonderful moments where Narumi is panicking or screaming or cowering, and I loved all of it.

I also loved her relationship with Hibiki, even beyond the hilarious terror. They get along with each other really well. Narumi is a tsundere, and its only exacerbated by Hibiki being a lightning rod for ghostly shenanigans, but it still makes sense why they grow so close so fast. There was also some wonderful yuri teasing between them. It never goes anywhere real, sadly, but I loved one joke when they met Hibikis father. Hes almost exactly like Narumi. Hes so terrified of ghosts that his hair has long since turned grey. When the friends consider that girls sometimes go for a romantic partner who is similar to their father, and Narumi is just like her father, Hibiki is left blushing and fidgeting. Notably, she doesnt deny it. Even the perverted cat calls out the obvious chemistry between the two of them!

Narumi is also often a part of the heartfelt ghostly stories, usually against her will. She plays with children without realizing theyre spirits until after. Hibiki often communicates with the ghost of Narumi's beloved grandmother, too, which leaves her torn between being glad shes there and terrified at the ghostly presence. I also really liked the one subplot with Narumi's cousin who lost his father. They help him come to terms with the death just in time for him to be a good big brother to his newborn sibling. Narumi's terror was hilarious, but I also loved it when she overcame that and helped Hibiki out with her ghostly adventures.

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/3/6/1/AAcDcBAAD6k5.jpg

CHARACTER: Amami Hibiki (Re-Kan)
https://myanimelist.net/character/119715/Hibiki_Amami
Voiced by: Kido Ibuki
TOP 100 RANK: 23rd

SPOILERS FOR RE-KAN

VIDEO LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xloHK2B57MY
(This is just the ED. Re-Kan clips are surprisingly rare on Youtube! I like the bit where friendly Hibiki is smiling and running up to Narumi, who is of course shrieking because of the wall of spirits right behind her)

Hibiki is just such a sweetheart. Even knowing that the ghosts are harmless, a lot of people would eventually start getting annoyed at the sheer amount she deals with on a daily basis. Hibiki embraces her abilities, however, and she loves doing everything she can to help anyone she comes across. Hibiki leaves candy as an offering for child ghosts, cleans the samurai ghost's grave, goes out of her way to visit the bound spirit, and so on. The only thing that frightens her is the perverted cat, so thankfully her ghost friends normally take him out before he can reach her.

For a long time, Hibiki struggled to make human friends. Thats why its so nice to see her be accepted at her new school. There are a few hurdles. Narumi's terror is an ongoing problem, though Hibiki's persistent kindness quickly wins her over. When they all move to second year, the new students need some time to get used to it. Hibiki values her friends, even beyond the point a normal person would. One plot was about how shes running herself ragged trying to keep up with all her ghostly upkeep, so Narumi insists she wear glasses that block her powers for a few days just to get some rest. Hibiki misses the spirits, but she sticks to the promise. Even when a little girl goes missing and she wants to get her ghost friends to help look, Hibiki still calls Narumi to get permission to take off the glasses. This shows how awkward Hibiki still is with friendships, but Narumi is patient and understanding while explaining that she obviously wouldnt hate her for breaking a small promise in that scenario.

There were quite a few heartfelt stories too. I liked the one where Hibiki made a grumpy old man some Valentines Day chocolates at the request if his dead wife who was worried because this would be his first year without her. The final plot was great too. Hibiki always wanted to meet the ghost of her mother, but it turns out that spirit was residing inside of her and powering her ghost-seeing abilities. For at least one night, all the other spirits Hibiki had befriended took over that duty so that her mother could come out. There were some complications after where Hibiki temporarily lost her powers, and the way she reacted showed just how much she treasured her sixth sense. I was glad when she got her powers back at the end. Hibiki is such a sweet girl, and I enjoyed her friendship with Narumi and the way she helped everyone, both living and dead.

12. Re-Kan!
https://myanimelist.net/anime/25859/Re-Kan
Spring 2015 (13 episodes)
My Score: 9/10, MAL Score: 6.75/10
Best Characters: Amami Hibiki, Inoue Narumi

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bO3MnzaL8ko

Premise: The new transfer student is nice and friendly, but for Inoue Narumi theres one big problem with her. Amami Hibiki can interact with ghosts, which is a constant source of terror for Narumi.

The Good: Re-Kan is a supernatural comedy. Hibiki can see ghosts, but, unlike Miko in Mieruko-chan, she isnt afraid of them and they cant do any harm. Hibiki befriends the spirits who cross her path, doing everything she can to help them and make their afterlife pleasant. When she transfers to a new school, supernatural occurrences become commonplace. Most students take it in stride. For Narumi, however, being Hibiki's friend is terrifying! I wont claim that Re-Kan is an amazing anime that will appeal to everyone, but it really appealed to me specifically. I enjoyed the comedic parts. Hibiki has a lot of zany ghostly friends, including a samurai, a bound spirit, and so on. Most of her human friends never get a lot of focus, but theyre fine as people to react to the supernatural shenanigans.

Still, the thing I found funniest was Narumi. She is afraid of ghosts and is constantly freaking out in the most hilarious ways. The video I linked for her character write-up is a six second one where Hibiki is being dragged off by friendly child ghosts who want to play. The way Narumi panics and screams is amazing. Her unbridled terror was endlessly amusing to me. Another comedic character in this is a cat, and Hibiki's powers let her hear its thoughts. The cat is the archetypal pervert character always trying to look up skirts, which frightens Hibiki as much as ghosts do Narumi. Normally I hate pervert characters, but for some reason turning it into a cat made it amusing. It helps that Hibiki is always surrounded by an army of spirits who are looking out for her, so the cat is usually taken down in slapstick ways without ever getting close to her.

Re-Kan also has a serious heartwarming side. Quite a few plots deal with helping ghosts move on, or helping them pass something on to still-living loved ones. Hibiki is willing to do everything she can for her ghostly friends. Im a sucker for stories like that, and Re-Kan made me tear up more than once. The plots were the perfect balance of sad yet happy, and it never became melodramatic.

The Bad: The human side characters in Re-Kan arent bad, but theyre easily the weakest part of the anime. They all only have one trait to set them apart, and none of them are as amazing as Narumi's terror. While I didnt mind the perverted cat, another character has a policeman brother who likes to hit on high-school girls. He was the absolute worst. I just refuse to let a side character's support character ruin the rest of the anime for me.

Overall: Re-Kan probably isnt for everyone, but I absolutely loved it. Hibiki is such a genuinely friendly girl, and I enjoyed watching her interact with everyone whether they were human or spirit. Narumi was also always terrified in really amusing ways. Most of the side characters werent great, but the main two more than made up for them. I loved the heartfelt stories some of the ghosts had as well.

This isn't related to Mr. Beast specifically, but I hate whatever algorithm youtube is using these days. 90% of my recommended videos are for popular youtuber junk I have zero interest in. I keep saying not interested and to not recommend from that channel but new ones keep popping up. I said not to recommend Mr. Beast just the other day but I keep getting channels related to him or reuploads or something, I dunno.

Why can't it be like the good old days of a few years ago when the recommended videos were all just videos I'd already watched?

COMING UP TOMORROW:
12: This anime is surrounded by countless ghosts.
C78: This character is terrified of the supernatural.
C23: This character enjoys helping spirits with whatever problems they might have.

We have two days of one anime/two characters and then we'll be into the top ten!

13. Iroduku: The World in Colors
https://myanimelist.net/anime/37497/Irozuku_Sekai_no_Ashita_kara
Fall 2018 (13 episodes)
My Score: 9/10, MAL Score: 7.52/10
Best Character: Tsukishiro Hitomi

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zZSksScSczs

Premise: Tsukishiro Hitomi, a girl who can't see colors and is withdrawn from the world, gets sent sixty years into the past by her witch grandmother. Now in 2018, she meets aspiring artist Aoi Yuito, and his drawings are the only thing Hitomi can see in color.

The Good: Iroduku is a drama/romance anime. It's another original story from PA Works, who also made Aquatope and Hanasaku Iroha. All three of these shows have similarities, like they were built using different combinations of the same ideas. They're all about girls going into the world and finding themselves, which I loved. Aquatope and Iroduku both have magical realism which allows for striking visuals and creates a beautiful world. What held back Aquatope and Iroha for me was another element they shared, the nightmarish workplace. Iroduku doesn't have that, so I guess it makes sense why it appealed to me so much. It was the perfect combination of the things I love from a PA Works original without any of the things I hated.

It's set in a world nearly identical to reality, only some people have magic powers. Witches can imbue sand with properties that create pretty images or help calm people down, for example, but there are flashier spells too. In the year 2078, Hitomi is a teenager descended from a long line of witches. She hates magic, however, because her mother was born without any powers and it eventually drove her away. Hitomi is deeply depressed and withdrawn, a state of mind thematically shown by how she sees the world in monochrome. On the night of a big festival, Hitomi's grandmother sends her back in time to 2018. Her only explanation is that Hitomi will figure out what to do once she gets there.

She meets lots of people in 2018, including Kohaku, her grandmother's younger self. Hitomi joins a joint art/photography club while attending the local high school, and there she grows closer with aspiring artist Yuito. He's another lost soul trying to find his place in the world. For some reason, his drawings are the only thing Hitomi can see in color, and sometimes they even come alive in stunning visual sequences. Iroduku is about all these people interacting and learning things about the world and about themselves. I thought it was a beautiful story.

The Bad: I can't think of any problems with Iroduku. It would've been nice if it were even longer so I could've spent more time with the characters, I suppose.

Overall: Iroduku isn't action-packed or full of twists and turns. It's a slow-paced heartwarming story about various teenagers getting to know each other and growing as a result. I loved pretty much everything about Hitomi's journey into the past. She formed some truly special relationships with everyone. I also loved the magical realism, and it led to a lot of moments with beautiful visuals.

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/5/5/2/AAcDcBAAD6YQ.png

CHARACTER: Tsukishiro Hitomi (Iroduku: The World in Colors)
https://myanimelist.net/character/160190/Hitomi_Tsukishiro
Voiced by: Ishihara Kaori
TOP 100 RANK: 18th

SPOILERS FOR IRODUKU: THE WORLD IN COLORS

VIDEO LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iLRZDQNjWtw
(Subtitles arent in English but there isn't much dialogue and it's the least important part of the scene)

I think Hitomi is a wonderful character. She begins the story at such a low point. Her mother always hated being born without any magical powers. Once Hitomi's powers manifested, her mother abandoned her. Ever since, Hitomi has hated magic, and in her depression she can only see the world in black and white. Then her grandmother sends her sixty years into the past, seemingly at random, and Hitomi is thrust into a strange new world. The early parts of the story detail her meeting her family in 2018, including her future grandmother Kohaku. She also starts going to high school and joins the art/photography club. The people she meets there all turn out to be very special.

One thing I loved about Iroduku was how, even though they're all still immature teens, they're also good people who are always trying their best. Hitomi unwittingly becomes part of a love triangle with Shou and Asagi. She's shocked and not sure what to do when Shou asks her out, and Asagi is hurt and begins avoiding her. When Hitomi finally turns him down, though, Shou accepts the rejection with no hard feelings. Her and Asagi also quickly make up because they all recognize that no one did anything wrong. It was all just the sad result of messy emotions colliding, and that's simply part of life. After seeing the wonderful friendships Hitomi found in 2018, it made sense that she matured and began coming out of her shell.

Still, her most important relationship by far is the one with Yuito. I loved how they both supported each others passions and helped each other grow. For Yuito it was drawing and for Hitomi it was magic, but they were both consumed by doubts. Hitomi loved Yuito's art because they let her see colors, and he was inspired by her magic. After her mother ran away, Hitomi thought magic could only make people miserable. Realizing it made Yuito happy was a big turning point for her, and I loved how they even combined their passions by using magic to enter his drawings. They really were great for each other, which is what makes the ending so bittersweet.

Hitomi is from sixty years in the future, after all, and pretty soon she'll need to return there. Despite their attraction, both her and Yuito are afraid to start anything. The video I linked is one of the most amazing sequences I've ever seen in an anime. Without any dialogue until the very end, her and Yuito finally reached out to each other and embraced. Even though Hitomi went back to the future soon after, the influence they had on each other remained. Hitomi accepted magic and she could see colors again. Even if it didn't last very long, I thought their relationship was meaningful and sweet. People don't need to be together for very long to change each other forever.

14. Made in Abyss
https://myanimelist.net/anime/34599/Made_in_Abyss
Summer 2017 (12 episodes), Summer 2022 (12 episodes) plus 1 movie
My Score: 9/10, MAL Score: 8.67/10 S1, 8.71/10 S2
Best Character: Riko

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e91G8m9uM_0

Premise: The Abyss is an impossibly deep chasm filled with monsters and curses that become more severe the further down one goes. Riko, a young girl training as a cave diver, decides to go all the way to the bottom in the hopes of finding her mother.

The Good: Made in Abyss is a dark adventure anime about descending the titular chasm. The art style is kind of cute, I mean look at that image of Riko below, but don't be fooled. This isn't about a little girl going on a happy adventure. The society that's sprung up around the edge of the Abyss is dedicated to exploring it, including training orphans and sending them down when theyre still kids. Riko finds an amnesiac robot named Reg during one of her trips, and soon after she recieves a note from her missing mother apparently asking to meet at the bottom of the Abyss. She teams up with Reg, who has abilities like a powerful beam and extendable arms, and the two head in on an adventure that will surely end in their deaths one way or another.

My favorite part about this anime is the setting. The Abyss is full of freaky monsters, terrifying curses, and tons of little details that are so much fun to speculate about. They often find skeletons of people who died in a praying position, for example. I just think stuff like that is neat, it makes the Abyss feel so incomprehensibly ancient and unknowable. I also love the various rules it has, like the different stages of the curse that impact anyone who ascends in the Abyss. It starts with powerful nausea, but lower levels can cause bleeding from every orifice or even death. The only reason all of this doesn't become too dark to watch is that Riko is such a strong person. She wants to get to the bottom of the Abyss to find her mother, and she refuses to let anything get her down or stop her. It's so interesting watching her descent into the insanity of the Abyss.

The Bad: I really loved the first season and the movie. The second season was really good too, but I still thought it was a bit of a step back. It got bogged down in one place that honestly wasn't as interesting as the rest of the Abyss. Having said that, the animation was still really high quality, and I enjoyed watching it a lot. It just wasn't my favorite part of the show.

Overall: Made in Abyss is an anime that often gets exceedingly dark. It isn't a place for the faint-hearted, which makes it kind of terrifying that the main character is a little girl like Riko. She always greets each new encounter with enthusiasm and optimism, however. She also refuses to let anything stop her. I love the strange setting of the Abyss, and Reg is good too, but Riko was easily my favorite character. This is an excellent anime full of neat little details, beautiful animation, and encounters full of tension and dread.

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/4/6/3/AAcDcBAAD6W3.jpg

CHARACTER: Riko (Made in Abyss)
https://myanimelist.net/character/137239/Riko
Voiced by: Tomita Miyu
TOP 100 RANK: 35th

SPOILERS FOR MADE IN ABYSS

VIDEO LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SFNFbDeIycs
(Video doesnt have subtitles, but the dialogue isnt as important)

Riko is the kind of person whose relentless enthusiasm rubs off on everyone around them. Reg has lost his memories, but he wants to learn more about what he is. He's easily swept up in Riko's mission to go to the bottom of the Abyss. The two set off together and overcome early obstacles like freaky corpse eating birds. Then they reach a base in a lower level, and this is where we learn a bit more about Riko. It turns out that she was dead when she was born in the Abyss and an artifact revived her. Ozen says that, once Riko could crawl, she always went towards the Abyss. It hasn't come up much since, but I thought that was a scary detail. Riko thinks she's on this journey to find her mother, but theres an implication that something much more sinister might be what's beckoning her deeper.

One of my favorite things about Riko is just how strong she is. She treats the dangers of the Abyss with well-deserved caution and respect. However, Riko never lets anything break her. This is best seen in the events surrounding the video I linked. While retreating from a monster, Reg is forced to ascend and expose Riko to the curse where she bleeds from every orifice. Her arm is also poisoned, and she asks Reg to amputate it below the elbow. We're treated to a horrific scene of him breaking the bone and beginning to cut before, thankfully, Nanachi arrives to take over medical duties. It isn't until a bit later that we learn just how strong Riko was at that moment. Asking Reg to cut above the elbow would've allowed her to attach something to the stump and continue their journey. Even when bleeding, poisoned, and overtaken by incredible pain, Riko still wasn't giving up.

I thought the second season was a bit of a step down. The village simply wasn't a very interesting location and a lot of things about it didn't make sense to me. The three main characters were also split up for most of it. Nanachi was taking a nap, and Reg just kind of wandered back and forth. At least Riko's plotline was good. She was out there meeting everyone, forging relationships, and getting to the bottom of ancient mysteries. I liked her cute friendship with Maaa quite a bit. I also enjoyed moments like when she used critical thinking to kill a weird flying purple slime creature. Riko may not have the abilities Reg does, but her knowledge and mental fortitude are both second to none. Made in Abyss would be too bleak to watch if Riko weren't as strong as she is, so I'm glad she's the main character.

15. Gamers!
https://myanimelist.net/anime/34280/Gamers
Summer 2017 (12 episodes)
My Score: 9/10, MAL Score: 6.78/10
Best Character: Aguri

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KE2ncZsxz50

Premise: Amano Keita, a normal gamer guy, is approached one day by Tendou Karen, the cutest girl in school. She wants him to join the new video game club, but he surprises everyone by turning her down.

The Good: Gamers is a comedy that uses the framework of an awkward romantic comedy to tell jokes. Fair warning, I had a lot of trouble explaining why I love this anime in this write-up. When I describe the plot in a second, it's going to sound like a standard romantic comedy. It isn't, though. I didn't really like this when I first watched it years ago. It was originally in the 4/10s, and I only rewatched it because I didn't remember it very well. I'm not sure what my past self was thinking, because Gamers is amazing. My best guess is that I kept waiting for it to turn into a normal romantic comedy, and that I got frustrated when it didn't go that way. When I rewatched it knowing the kind of show it was, I finally noticed the brilliance.

The plot is essentially that there are two guys and three girls and they all get caught up in a complex web of crushes, misunderstandings, and awkwardness. Lots of romantic comedies have those things, but usually they're played for drama or are focused on building towards relationships. Gamers, by comparison, wallows in the confusion and uses it for hilarious jokes. It isn't about the characters getting together or drama or anything like that. It's about using romantic comedy plot beats for jokes, and it's amazing just how tangled everything becomes.

Each character believes different things about the relationships between every other character. Almost all of it is misunderstandings, but you can always see why they think that because they misheard a conversation or made the wrong assumption. This kind of stuff always infuriated me in actual romantic comedies. I'm the type who wants the characters to get past the drama and get together. I hate misunderstandings that could be solved by a simple conversation. In Gamers, the confusion is so wonderfully woven together that, even when they do finally sit down to talk and resolve a misunderstanding, they also step on a landmine and two completely different misunderstandings take its place. It was beautifully written and always funny.

The Bad: The final episode isn't great. It's basically one long joke about how DLC in gaming sucks. The episode itself is essentially crappy DLC. I mean, I get it, but its still meh. I was here for the awkward relationship jokes, not the gaming discussions. The first eleven episodes were still magical, at least.

Overall: I don't think I did a good job explaining why I love Gamers. Romantic comedies always have that thing where a character walks in at exactly the wrong moment and hears something out of context and it creates a huge misunderstanding. In those shows, it's played for drama, and the point is about seeing the characters overcome it and grow closer. In Gamers, the focus is on chaining those misunderstandings together into a beautifully convoluted web of awkwardness. The humor comes from seeing just how deep the confusion can get. I had a lot of fun keeping track of what each of five characters thought about everyone else at any given time, and the jokes always made me laugh.

COMING UP TOMORROW:
14: This anime tried to climb higher in the ranking, but then it began bleeding from every orifice.
C35: This character wants to find their mother.
13: This anime is being sent back in time.
C18: This character sees everything in black and white.

I've heard that the Watamote manga eventually becomes more or less a yuri harem, which definitely makes me interested in checking it out someday!

16. Watamote: No Matter How I Look At It, It's You Guys' Fault I'm Not Popular!
https://myanimelist.net/anime/16742/Watashi_ga_Motenai_no_wa_Dou_Kangaetemo_Omaera_ga_Warui
Summer 2013 (12 episodes)
My Score: 9/10, MAL Score: 7.00/10
Best Character: Kuroki Tomoko

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gZYq7rat9d4

My Tomoko figure: https://imgur.com/CqGpzhF

Premise: After playing countless visual novels and dating sims, Kuroki Tomoko thought she was ready for her inevitable popularity in high school. Instead, to her surprise, no one has interacted with her at all.

The Good: Watamote is a cringe comedy about Tomoko, a girl who is a crazy otaku on the inside but has paralyzing social anxiety on the outside. Most of the jokes are about just how bonkers her thoughts can get, or how awkward her actions are. Early on, Tomoko finally psyches herself up to go to a fast food restaurant alone. Then, uh oh, some of her classmates come in too and sit near the door. Tomoko can't leave now, because if they see her eating here alone her reputation will be ruined! Tomoko has to sneak into the washroom and alter her appearance into an elaborate disguise before she can escape. It's hilarious seeing just how far off the deep end she can go during normal everyday situations that don't matter to anyone except for her.

However, the cringe comedy isn't why I love Watamote. My favorite thing is just how much I related to Tomoko's social anxiety. Her internal self is obviously taken to hilarious extremes. She regularly wishes death on people with friends, thinks girls who talk to boys are bitchy sluts, and so on. Tomoko also dreams of having friends and being popular with boys, so it's clear this is just her lashing out due to jealousy. I love how all of her mean-spirited insanity is confined to her thoughts. From the outside, Tomoko is the perfect representation of social anxiety. There are lots of anime with a shy main character, but none of them struck me as realistic. Komi from Komi Can't Communicate is incapable of speaking, yet everyone loves and worships her. Bocchi from Hitoribocchi is awkward, but she quickly makes three best friends who accept her strangeness. I also grew up with social anxiety, and Tomoko is the closest to my experience with it. Even though she's constantly terrified that everyone is judging her, most people don't even realize she exists.

The Bad: Some of the cringe comedy can get a little too cringe for my tastes. This was my number one favorite anime for a lot of years, but most of that love was due to how relatable Tomoko was. When I rewatched Watamote, I was sad to see that some of the situations just made me uncomfortable. I still loved a lot of the humor, just not enough to justify a top ten, never mind the coveted number one spot.

Overall: Watamote, in my mind, has two halves. My favorite thing was examining Tomoko's character. It was interesting to see how she viewed the world, as well as how other people viewed her (or, more commonly, how they never even noticed her at all). The other half is a cringe comedy. I loved a lot of those jokes, but some went too far for my tastes. Watamote used to be my favorite anime of all time, and it slipped down a bit after a rewatch. I still love Tomoko, though, because she really does embody my experience with social anxiety. It isn't cute like in Hitoribocchi or mysterious like in Komi Can't Communicate. It's just sad, awkward, and lonely, and Tomoko knows all of those feelings well.

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/5/6/2/AAcDcBAAD6Iy.jpg

CHARACTER: Kuroki Tomoko (Watamote)
https://myanimelist.net/character/50057/Tomoko_Kuroki
Voiced by: Kitta Izumi
TOP 100 RANK: 4th

SPOILERS FOR WATAMOTE

VIDEO LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f4srPBTz1XQ

I absolutely love that video of Tomoko ordering food at a WcDonalds. It's the perfect example of how she appears to the rest of the world. We, as the viewers, get to see into Tomoko's insane thoughts. We get to see her during her private time where she's fantasizing about sadistic boys or coming up with zany schemes to become popular. All of that is invisible to everyone else. To that fast food worker, Tomoko is just quiet and awkward, and she'll be forgotten about entirely in a few minutes. As someone else who grew up with social anxiety, I relate to that side of Tomoko a lot. The best way I can describe social anxiety is the constant, crippling fear that everyone is judging you at all times. It's impossible to have a conversation because 90% of your focus is devoted to trying to imagine how they're seeing you. Of course, the truth is, no one cares about other people that much, and especially not about the quiet kid who never calls attention to themself.

It's amazing just how many little things Tomoko did that I could personally relate to. One subplot was about her finding a quiet corner of the school to eat her lunch. I did that too! For all of high school, I sat in a corner of the second floor western hallway. Even when I finally did make a few friends, I was never brave enough to eat with them. Tomoko had an awkward friend from middle school who turned hot and popular in high school. Even though Yuu is still friendly and genuine, it hurts Tomoko to see her success. I related with that feeling of being left behind. I also empathized with how Tomoko could latch onto the tiniest interactions and become obsessed with them. She meets one guy a few times, he's just nice and normal, but she starts fantasizing about how he likes her. For a lot of people, all of this is part of the cringe comedy. For me, it was like my teen years were being faithfully reenacted by a cute anime girl.

Towards the end of the anime, Tomoko begins to wonder what her classmates are saying about her when she's not in the room. She sets up a recording device in order to find out. She's hoping for praise after her recent heroism when she killed a cockroach. The viewer is probably expecting disgust, because a lot of people were really grossed out when she killed that cockroach. The sad reality is that no one is talking about Tomoko at all. It took a lot of growth and maturity before I realized the truth. No one cared as much as I always thought they did. Poor Tomoko will probably realize that someday too, but for now she gave me a lot of laughs and discomfort by being so realistically awkward.

Johnbobb posted...

The Santa Monster (Love, Death, & Robots: All Through the House)

I checked IMDB and the credit for this is "Creature". That's probably a better name than the one I first used

SCP-4666/The Yule Man (The SCP Foundation)

The Santa Monster (Love, Death, & Robots: All Through the House)

I'll make that my triple nom. I honestly don't know what to call that thing, it might have an official name so use that if there is one

Bonestorm commercial Santa (The Simpsons)

This is a much better Simpsons Santa than mine and I also nominate it

Santa Claus from The Simpsons in-universe movie 'The Christmas That Almost Wasn't But Then Was' from the episode Skinner's Sense of Snow

I couldn't think of a better Simpsons Santa

Xeybozn posted...

Best SMFAS winner by far

I don't know all the winners offhand, but I'm guessing none of my remaining twenty have come anywhere close to doing well, so this is probably true!

MartinFF7 posted...

ok very excited for tomorrow's write-ups!!!

22 and 21 being the two finalists in the last iteration of SMFAS, what are the chances!

I first watched Odd Taxi because of how far it got in that save-my, and even I was surprised how close these two wound by being in my ranking! It was tough picking which one to support, but I think I made the right choice backing Universe in the end.

COMING UP TOMORROW:
20: This anime wants to go back to hell.
C45: This character is constantly trying to kill someone.
19: This anime was tricked by a rat.
C40: This character is fighting to claim their rightful place.

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/4/6/2/AAcDcBAAD5YW.png

CHARACTER: Takahashi Megumi (A Place Further than the Universe)
https://myanimelist.net/character/157190/Megumi_Takahashi
Voiced by: Kanemoto Hisako
TOP 100 RANK: 95th

SPOILERS FOR A PLACE FURTHER THAN THE UNIVERSE

VIDEO LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eqHJVbFGISM

In an anime with so many strong characters, I imagine the choice of putting Megumi in second place might seem a little odd. She definitely isnt the most important person in the plot. Shes just Mari's childhood friend, and Megumi fades into the background once the Antarctica journey begins. Shes only heavily involved in one little arc early on, but her arc really resonated with me. A Place Further Than the Universe tells a beautiful story about making the most of life. It left me with a melancholic feeling when I watched it, though, because I saw it as at almost thirty years old and I never did a whole lot in my youth. It felt like Mari and the others were leaving me behind and thats exactly how Megumi feels too.

She does some shitty things in the story. She spreads rumors about the girls, insults Shirase by calling her by the mocking nickname Antarctica, and she even tells some bullies that Shirase has money, hoping theyll take it from her. For the most part, no one notices or cares about Megumi's attempts at sabotage. Theyre all too focused on the upcoming expedition, and that determination hurts Megumi even more. She often complained about having to look after Mari, even doing little things like fixing her pencil when she clicked the lead out too far. Megumi is surprised at her own feelings when Mari finally starts moving forward on her own. In the blink of an eye, the once-aimless Mari has three new friends and is gearing up to go on the adventure of a lifetime. Megumi had never realized just how much of her own identity was wrapped up in helping Mari. And now Mari is leaving her behind.

The video I linked is their big confrontation. Megumi admits what she did and asks to break up their friendship. She chooses probably the worst time to do it, right before Mari leaves. That might even be one last shitty thing, an attempt at getting to Mari emotionally, to make her back down at the last moment. Thankfully, Mari is too strong for that. Shes also too much of a sweetheart to hate Megumi for what she did, and too mature to let this end their friendship. Mari refuses the breakup, and then she goes to Antarctica. Megumi is only mentioned offhandedly for the rest of the anime, at least until the end. When Mari finally gets home and messages her, Megumi reveals that shes off on her own adventure in the Arctic. She finally took the right lesson from Mari's newfound boldness and used it to better herself. I really liked that final thematic touch. Even if it feels like youre being left behind, its never too late to start moving forward.

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/4/6/3/AAcDcBAAD5YX.jpg

CHARACTER: Kobuchizawa Shirase (A Place Further than the Universe)
https://myanimelist.net/character/157148/Shirase_Kobuchizawa
Voiced by: Hanazawa Kana
TOP 100 RANK: 28th

SPOILERS FOR A PLACE FURTHER THAN THE UNIVERSE

VIDEO LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YfCuQpRxgWE

Mari is the first person the anime focuses on, but I think Shirase is easily the most important character. Her determination is what spurs everyone else into undertaking the journey to Antarctica. The fact that her mother died there is also the big emotional crux of the story. For years, Shirase has worked multiple jobs and saved up money. Shes endured everyones doubts and put up with insulting nicknames like Antarctica. Shes even refused to accept the well-meaning warnings from her mothers former colleagues that she shouldnt do this. Shirase loved her mother dearly, as evidenced by how she often sends her emails as if theyre still communicating. She wants to go to Antarctica to see what her mother saw, to see why its so important, and to hopefully find closure. She wants to shove it in everyone elses faces that she did it when they all said she couldnt, too, but thats just an added bonus.

In any case, her infectious determination rubs off on the other girls and carries them to Antarctica. Its a nice scene when she first sets foot on the ice and triumphantly yelled in your face" to everyone who ever doubted her. I also liked a bit later on when she admitted that she actually wasnt sure how to feel at that moment. She just settled on that emotion because it was the simplest out of all the feelings swirling around inside of her. Antarctica is beautiful and going to it with her new friends has been a wonderful adventure. This is also the frozen wasteland that killed her mother. Shirase and the group finally get to go to the place where it happened, and she still isnt sure how to feel or react. Even here, at the place where she thought shed find all the answers, Shirase is just numb. Its her friends who desperately search for something, anything, to give Shirase closure. They eventually find her mothers laptop.

Even before seeing the video I chose for Shirase, I bet everyone couldve guessed what it would be. To me, at least, its the most iconic scene in the whole show. Shirase turns the laptop on, opens her mothers email, and then she sees the flood of messages come in. By how high the number gets, Shirase has been sending more than one email every single day for years. A whole bunch of emotions hit her all at once. The laptop password is hinted to be Shirase's birthday, a sign of how much her mother loved her. The sheer amount of emails is proof of how much Shirase loved her. All those little moments from her life over the years, all the times she thought, I want to share this with my mother, theyre all here and theyre unread. Her mother is gone. The feeling finally becomes real. She finds closure, but no one ever said that closure would be happy. Still, once she has it, Shirase can lean on her friends and finally start to move on. The other main characters all had fine stories, but none of them come anywhere close to carrying the emotional impact of Shirase.

21. A Place Further Than the Universe
https://myanimelist.net/anime/35839/Sora_yori_mo_Tooi_Basho
Winter 2018 (13 episodes)
My Score: 9/10, MAL Score: 8.53/10
Best Character: Kobuchizawa Shirase, Takahashi Megumi

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DaTzRcSyEWc

Premise: Tamaki Mari always had big dreams, but she was too scared to chase them until she met Kobuchizawa Shirase. She has been working hard on her dream of going to Antarctica, and she asks Mari to come with her.

The Good: A Place Further Than the Universe is an uplifting drama about four girls and their journey to Antarctica. It has some great comedy moments, and the details at every step of the journey feel a little slice-of-life. Im not sure Id classify it as either of those genres, though. The characters each have something in their life they need to address, and the focus is on how undertaking this grand adventure changes them. The first main character is Mari, who is a bit of an airhead. She struggles to do anything out of the ordinary, unable even to skip school for a day no matter how much she plans. Then she meets Shirase, a girl who is single-mindedly chasing her dream no matter how hard it is, how unlikely it seems, or what anyone else thinks of her. Her mother went missing on a previous Antarctic expedition, and Shirase has been struggling to go and see the frozen continent for herself ever since. Her determination spurs Mari into action too, and they decide to go together. Theyre also joined by Hinata, who wants to travel before college, and Yuzuki, a young idol/actress who will help promote the expedition.

Theres a lot of focus on the specifics of going to Antarctica. Obviously they cant just buy an airplane ticket, they need to convince people to take them and train for it and take time off school and so on. Its interesting seeing how every step of the journey works. Still, my favorite thing about this anime is the themes and character arcs. It almost doesnt matter exactly where theyre going. Whats important is how theyre struggling towards a goal and making the most of their life, and the way that impacts who they are as people. I like all four of the main characters, though Shirase is obviously my favorite because her story hits the hardest emotionally. This might be controversial, but my second-favorite isnt even one of the main four! I really liked Mari's friend Megumi, and Ill talk more about her in her write-up. I also want to mention just how well this anime is put together. It has beautiful animation and the writing carries everything perfectly. It also has an amazing soundtrack. There are a few insert songs that play at key moments, and the sequences whenever one of those songs came on were always magical.

The Bad: The only bad things I can think of for A Place Further Than the Universe are all nitpicks. Its stuff like how one part of Hinata's story felt a bit out of place, little things like that. There are no glaring problems, so I dont even want to mention the few small ones.

Overall: A Place Further Than the Universe is a wonderful story about the importance of chasing ones dreams and making the most of life. I loved it mostly because of those themes, and theyre so universal they couldve been applied to any number of adventures. This anime chose Antarctica, and it handles the journey there with a lot of care and passion too. This is one of the rare anime that I would recommend to pretty much anyone. The characters are all wonderful too, and Ill talk about two of them below.

COMING UP TOMORROW:
21: This anime is going to a frozen wasteland.
C95: This character often looks out for their friend.
C28: No one believes this character will reach their goal.

NOTE: I still haven't seen the movie for this and whatever new content that has.

22. Odd Taxi
https://myanimelist.net/anime/46102/Odd_Taxi
Spring 2021 (13 episodes)
My Score: 9/10, MAL Score: 8.72/10
Best Character: Odokawa Hiroshi

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jX-Ry1VxeDQ

Premise: In a world of anthropomorphic animal people, the walrus Odokawa Hiroshi drives a taxi for a living. He often encounters strange people, and circumstances connect him to the mystery of a missing girl.

The Good: Odd Taxi is a mystery/drama anime. The main character is the taxi-driving walrus Odokawa, and hes a really interesting character. However, my favorite thing about this anime is the sheer amount of character and plotline threads it manages to weave together. The biggest hook is probably the mystery of the missing girl, but theres so much else going on that sometimes I forgot all about it. I was thankful they were all animal people, because it made it so much easier to remember who everyone was and what their relationships were. There's a gorilla doctor, a baboon criminal, a rapping porcupine criminal, police officer dogs, cat and dog idols... I havent even begun to list them all. An impressive drama slowly unfolds, and everyone has a role to play. I even liked the comedy duo. It was amazing how funny they could be while talking about how no one finds them funny.

While the majority of the story is intricately woven together, there are a few times, both big and small, where it relies on contrived coincidences to introduce a plot thread or set something up. Normally that would be a bad thing, but I thought it worked really well in this. There were so many moving parts in the story that sometimes a shortcut is just the best way. There's also the fact that life itself has plenty of coincidences, and that's one of the big themes in this. As long as the story uses them well and not just as a crutch, it's fine. Odd Taxi is a satisfying story full of neat twists and interesting characters. I don't mind if one big plot thread only started because Odokawa drove past someone, or because a selfie just so happened to catch something important in the background. Anyway, I tried to be vague about the actual plot because everything is so interconnected, and experiencing it blind was a lot of fun. Odd Taxi was great.

The Bad: Since I didn't mind the coincidental stuff, my only real complaint is this. I binged Odd Taxi in one night, and then I looked around for discussion of it in various places. Everywhere I looked, people were referencing clues and plot points that I had never seen. I didn't understand. Was I stupid? Did I miss an episode somehow? It turned out that, when this was airing, there was a bonus audio drama thing that released weekly alongside each episode. It's not the sort of thing you'd miss while watching it, but it definitely expands the world and clarifies a lot of big picture things, including one huge twist I found a little confusing. I was sad I hadn't known about the audio drama before watching the show because I think it would have enhanced my enjoyment of it.

Overall: Odd Taxi mixes a lot of different tones and styles. It tells a story using funny animal people, but the result is complex and compelling. There are so many different characters and plot threads. Some are mundane, some are serious, and sometimes the mundane turns serious in impressive and satisfying ways. I really enjoyed watching the story of Odd Taxi unfold.

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/5/3/3/AAcDcBAAD5J1.png

CHARACTER: Odokawa Hiroshi (Odd Taxi)
https://myanimelist.net/character/191215/Hiroshi_Odokawa
Voiced by: Hanae Natsuki
TOP 100 RANK: 63rd

SPOILERS FOR ODD TAXI

VIDEO LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ll2-vIf5gvg

Odokawa is the main character of Odd Taxi, and a surprising amount of plot points wind up involving him. I was impressed how well he handled everything that happened. People were firing bullets into his house and he almost couldn't narrow down the suspects. He just had to piece everything together as best he could, contend with all the crazy characters involved, and keep moving forward.

The video I linked is obviously a big moment, but what I love about it is that it's the perfect representation of the kind of storytelling Odd Taxi used so well. A whole bunch of characters witness it. Some are there because they're heavily involved, but a number of them are only seeing this coincidentally. Usually in fiction, coincidences are a bad thing. I've never seen anything else like Odd Taxi where coincidences can feel so epic and earned.

I'll also talk about the big last episode reveal, because man was it ever amazing. Learning that Odokawa was the only one who saw everyone as animal people blew my mind. I loved how it was foreshadowed throughout, like the doctor wondering how Odokawa could tell people apart so easily. It also played into the mystery really well. Even Odokawa confused two similar looking black cat people. I also liked the reveal that the thing he was hiding in his house that made him look so suspicion was just an actual animal. Learning how he saw the world was one of those great twists that made me reexamine everything that had come before it. It was difficult to do a write-up for Odd Taxi because, while it had a lot if standout moments, my favorite thing about both it and Odokawa was how all the little plot threads came together.

23. Chihayafuru
https://myanimelist.net/anime/10800/Chihayafuru
Fall 2011 (25 episodes), Winter 2013 (25 episodes), Fall 2019 (24 episodes)
My Score: 9/10, MAL Score: 8.19/10 S1, 8.39/10 S2, 8.47/10 S3
Best Character: Ayase Chihaya

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IcCJgmLZYkE

BONUS (a ProZD video): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zj7VMd8z8XA
(I don't normally watch his stuff, but a friend showed me this years ago after we had pretty much the same conversation, so I felt like including it)

Premise: Karuta is a sport where a reader goes through a series of poems and players compete using speed and memorization to be the first to grab its corresponding card. Ayase Chihaya is obsessed with the game, and she works hard to build a karuta club in high school.

The Good: Chihayafuru is the greatest sports anime I've ever seen. I'm sure some of the people who have never heard of this anime are glancing back up at the premise and wondering if I'm being serious. I mean, this is a sport where step one is memorizing a hundred poems, and then you compete to be the first one to sweep them from the play area when their corresponding line is read. I know it doesn't sound super exciting. However, Chihayafuru does an excellent job at all of the things that make a sports anime entertaining.

Karuta has a surprising amount of depth. There's always a new technique to learn and perfect. Theres always a new way of thinking to steel oneself against powerful opponents. Chihaya and her friends practice hard together to improve, and there are a lot of fun character moments along the way. Watching them play karuta also quickly became hypnotic. Anything can be fun with the right presentation and editing. I also like how karuta doesn't have much division between men and women or the young and old. Anyone can play it, so over the course of three seasons it builds up an impressive cast of characters. I like all of the main ones, including Taichi and Arata. Chihaya herself is still easily my favorite. She's a tomboy whose her sport of choice is karuta, and she has a lot of great moments where she obsesses over it. If the sports stuff isn't gripping enough, this anime also has one of the best love triangles I've ever seen between the three main characters. It adds a lot of depth and emotion without ever distracting from the karuta.

The Bad: My only problems with this are inherent to karuta itself. I really hated one opponent whose whole gimmick was challenging every single card the other player got. Karuta matches desperately need to be recorded for video playback and have referees to cut down on this bad sportsmanship! Another opponent was only good when their grandmother was the poem reader because they'd been listening to her voice all their life and could pick up things earlier than anyone else. That's an unfair advantage! As you can see, I'm very invested in the nuances of karuta. In a way, that's a compliment, because it means Chihayafuru made me care about a sport that sounded so boring initially.

Overall: When I was watching the newest season of Chihayafuru recently, I was surprised how quickly the episodes flew by. Karuta is a sport that's very stop-and-start. If it was presented wrong it would be a boring drag to get through. This anime always managed to create tension between opponents, however. The matches were always gripping. The overarching goals of the characters, as well as their development, also flowed seamlessly between events and linked everything together. I know karuta sounds like a boring sport, but Chihayafuru managed to turn it into something I genuinely cared about. I hope it gets another season someday. It was a wonderful surprise when S3 came out after a six year pause. Now that the manga is over, though, I fear this might be as far as the anime goes. Even if that is the case, it was still one hell of a ride.

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/3/8/3/AAcDcBAAD5Hf.jpg

CHARACTER: Ayase Chihaya (Chihayafuru)
https://myanimelist.net/character/47163/Chihaya_Ayase
Voiced by: Seto Asami
TOP 100 RANK: 26th

SPOILERS FOR CHIHAYAFURU

VIDEO LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SGNTSKusYmY

That isn't a great video. It was surprisingly difficult to find any clips of Chihayafuru at all. Still, I think it's a good way of showing Chihaya's overall character. Other than the karuta sports stuff, the biggest thing in this is the Taichi/Chihaya/Arata love triangle. Both of them are good guys with a genuine connection to her. Chihaya is a beautiful girl, but most people are put off by her personality. Taichi and Arata both respect and admire her karuta obsession, though. That video is two clips where Chihaya had a chance at some girl talk, and in both of them she somehow circles back to karuta. I don't think either of her potential lovers would be surprised or offended at that. They'd probably think it was cute, and that's why I'm pretty much okay with Chihaya ending up with either of them.

Still, if you'll permit me to talk about shipping a bit more, I do have a personal preference. I'm on Team Arata for a few reasons. One is that, as far as I can tell, Chihaya is leaning that direction too. She's had some cute moments where she thinks about Arata that way. When Taichi turned down Sumire, he said that he wanted to choose the girl he dedicated himself to. Well, Chihaya deserves the same opportunity, and she seems to be choosing Arata. By the end of the third season, both of them have confessed to her. I think the contrast between them points to Arata as the better choice. Taichi left Chihaya an emotional mess, and she was even on the verge of quitting karuta. I understood where Taichi was coming from, but, still. Compare that to Arata. The only reason the third season ended on a remotely happy note was because Arata did everything he could to lift Chihaya's spirits. I think he's the superior choice! Both boys are still good.

Aside from the romance stuff, Chihaya is just a friendly and fun character. She has so many idiosyncrasies, like passing out to sleep between matches. More than anything, though, watching her karuta skills grow over the course of three seasons really invested me in her. I celebrated her victories and lamented her losses. I felt for her when she injured her finger. I watched her dream about becoming Queen, and I have no doubt in my mind that she'll get there someday. Chihaya is just such a wonderful character.

COMING UP TOMORROW:
23: This anime missed the card it was going for.
C26: This character is obsessed with a card game.
22: Someone in this anime has gone missing.
C63: This character drives people around for a living.

24. Super Cub
https://myanimelist.net/anime/40685/Super_Cub
Spring 2021 (12 episodes)
My Score: 9/10, MAL Score: 7.43/10
Best Character: Koguma

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q74V9Ud_Iok
(Couldnt find OP or ED, linked full OP song)

Premise: Koguma is a girl who feels like she has nothing. No parents, no friends, and no hobbies. Then one day she decides to buy a Super Cub motor scooter, and her life begins to change.

The Good: Super Cub is a slice-of-life anime. It's classified in various places as an iyashikei, which are relaxing healing anime, but it isnt as relentlessly feel-good as something like Flying Witch or Laid-Back Camp. Super Cub follows Koguma, a girl who lost her parents and now lives alone in a self-described life of emptiness. The colors in this are all muted and grey, representing her depression. Then one day she decides on a whim to buy a motor scooter, and she gets a lucky deal on a used Super Cub. The first time Koguma revs it, her world is filled with a flash of color.

This anime is slow and methodical, following Koguma's daily life and all the different ways it begins to change. Some might find that boring, but I personally found it mesmerizing. There are a lot of cute girls anime where the main character finds a new hobby of some sort and then everything in their life is fixed. This isn't like that. Koguma loves her Cub, but it's only the first step. It gives her freedom to go out and do things she couldn't before. Then she needs to learn about maintenance and replacement parts. The motor scooter is an ice-breaker to talk with people. She realizes she needs certain accessories, and that means getting a part-time job. I love how the flash of color from the first episode was only momentary. The colors in this remain predominantly muted and grey. The Cub didn't fix Koguma's life, but it gave her the opportunity to find more and more things that gave her world color. I'm not sure I'm describing these feelings right, but this anime really struck a chord with me. It had some impressive characterization and themes about life for something that could've easily been nothing more than an advertisement for Honda brand motor scooters.

The Bad: This is another anime where I honestly can't think of a notable flaw. Even the one time it got a little dramatic felt earned. I guess this is yet another show where I'm sad there's only one season.

Overall: Super Cub is a slow story about a depressed girl whose life begins to change after she buys a motor scooter. That premise won't appeal to everyone, but I absolutely loved it. Koguma was a compelling character, and this anime is full of little moments where she finds something new to give her life color.

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/6/1/4/AAcDcBAAD47e.png

CHARACTER: Koguma (Super Cub)
https://myanimelist.net/character/175927/Koguma
Voiced by: Yomichi Yuki
TOP 100 RANK: 30th

SPOILERS FOR SUPER CUB

(I couldn't find a good video for her)

I already talked about Koguma a lot in the anime write-up. Her character growth is pretty much the entire point of the show. I love the visual touches where things are mostly grey but every so often there's a flash of color. The Cub opens up her world and forces her to do new things. She finds goals and friends and, over time, a newfound passion for life. All of that is wonderful, and I love how it all feels natural and earned. Buying the Cub didn't solve all of Koguma's problems. It just gave her an opportunity and a reason to begin interacting with the world in ways she never had before, and wonderful things started to naturally arise.

I also really loved how she became friends with Reiko. Koguma has a brief imagination spot where she mentions her new motor scooter in class and everyone gets hyped and suddenly she's the popular center of attention. In reality, Koguma is too reserved to mention it at all. Reiko only finds out when they both make a bag to hold their helmets in class. Even then, her reaction feels so natural. "Oh, you have a motor scooter too? What kind? That's cool." And that's it. I feel like a lesser anime would make them best friends forever right away, but this show takes it slow. A lot of their subsequent interactions are awkward, but they slowly bond over their respect rides and over time they do become close friends. The Cub helped break the ice, but it didn't turn Koguma into an extrovert overnight. I really appreciated that.

The one dramatic moment in Super Cub, when Shii fell into the river, is probably the thing I have the most mixed feelings about. I think she would've been better off calling emergency services or something, and I'm not sure how realistic it is that she gets out relatively unscathed after that long in the cold water. Still, it was satisfying to watch Koguma come to the rescue. The music, Vivaldi's Four Seasons Winter Movement, made it feel so damn epic. In a way, I appreciated it as proof of how far Koguma had come. The girl at the start of the anime couldnt have done that. Her development was just so methodical and wonderful. It really did feel like real life. One thing led to another, and only after looking back does it become obvious how much those little things added up to a big change.