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Lupin the Third (1971) / Case Closed (1996)

Here’s a fun thing you can do, take any of these two shows, queue up a random number generator and then go to town.

What makes these two shows stand out is how episodic they are, spanning over a thousand episodes, dozens of movies, the whole enchilada, and that can be a problem because for most shows, let’s be honest, 65-ish episodes spanning across three seasons is more than enough.

I think what makes these two shows stand out where others have failed, is what makes me keep coming back to them, are the characters. You don’t get tired of the characters, which makes it so that you can just sit down and watch any episode from 3 to 300 and have a great time.

These were some of my first introductions to anime and I love all of the main characters, and that alone is what gives them a permanent spot on my personal favourites list.

Ping Pong: The Animation (2014)

It’s this placement on the list where I wanted to include “some bullshit” and I ended up choosing Ping Pong as a representative of that.

The thing about the animation industry is the more you learn about it, chances are, the more you’ll probably come to hate it and I think Ping Pong gets at the core of why that is. Because you’re not allowed to make a show that looks like this anymore.

Sports anime in particular tend to tell hype-generating stories about self-improvement, teamwork, and camaraderie. Even during downer moments, there’s still always a sense that on some level, it was worth it, and their sacrifice was meant something. But... that is not what Ping Pong is trying to do.

Life’s not fair.

You can give everything you have to something you love and more, and get absolutely nothing in return. Which certainly doesn’t mean don’t do what you love, but do it because you love it. Don’t get hung up on where you think, maybe, you can go, learn to enjoy the journey getting there.

The animation style certainly reflects that, deeply unflattering Wojacks rendered in “raw” line-art with little regard for realism or the comfort of the viewer. It would be very hard to look at, if it weren’t so hard to look away from, if you catch my drift.

It reminds me of the kind of thing, from the themes, to the visuals, is the kind of thing you would probably see back when Beavis and Butt-Head was first on the air. And the end result is that they were able to tell a story in a way that’s only possible through animation, this specific kind of animation.

Cardcaptor Sakura (1998)

I have something to admit to you all. I’m Canadian.

The big talking point surrounding Cardcaptor Sakura these days is it’s mixed-bag approach to “love is love”. So, I don’t know, let’s talk about it.

In the beginning of the series Sakura has a one-sided crush on the character named Yukito, who is an anime glasses twink, and is the best friend of her older brother. However, Syaoran, the male rival to Sakura... also has a one-sided crush on Yukito!

That’s actually really cleaver from a writing perspective, to have the rival character also be the protagonist’s rival on the battlefield of love, and to then have those characters fall for each other. The full potential for that character dynamic is incredible, and is just way more interesting in a love triangle where the characters aren’t all straight by default.

To put things into perspective, this was some of the only examples of explicit queer representation in an animated series that we were going to get for years. It’s also just not a big deal, no one ever says that he can’t have a crush because they’re both boys, it’s just normal, it makes sense.

In an interview with Clamp’s head writer after the completion of the manga, she confirms that she deliberately wrote Sakura that way. She wanted a story with a protagonist who had an open mind towards different family structures, different kinds of love, and different perspectives from society.

That sort of casual acceptance was very important because it was one of the very few instances in media where I felt seen and positively represented. And I will always be grateful for that.

One of the themes that pops up frequently in Clamp’s work is the concept of “love is love”. Familial love, childhood crushes, unrequited love, etc. And Clamp is really into the idea soulmates, true love so powerful that it defies any potential barriers such as gender or status or age.

This... can be a double-edged sword. For every good, unapologetic depiction of a queer romance, there might also be three other romances that could leave a sour taste in your mouth.

But... I need to move on!

Cardcaptor Sakura was just a very important series for me.

Digimon (1999)

The goal with doing a list like this is not to list all of the best animated series ever made, more that it’s just to list the ones that sort of rewired my brain at different points in my life. So... yeah...

Now, the trouble with talking about Digimon is simply just the fact that Pokémon exists, and that’s fitting, I think, because these two shows could not be more different from one another. You could make the argument that Digimon is the better show all you want, but there’s a reason why this one remains a cult classic, whereas Pokémon became the mainstream powerhouse.

I think what bumped Digimon up for me is the stakes, not just in general, but with all of the main characters. Recently in Pokémon, they were afraid to portray the abusive relationship between Lusamine and Lillie in the series, but Digimon had no such fears, whereas in Digimon Beatbreak they had an abusive father who treats his daughter and her Digimon as tools to achieve his goals.

We can use any character, including Izzy, as an example of this.

In a world full of cartoons with stereotypical “nerd” characters that spouted facts, didn’t get jokes, and didn’t understand emotions, Izzy was closer to a nerd that reflected what kids saw in themselves.

He wasn’t perfect and his obsessive personality could cause problems, but his inquisitive mind was more-so praised than it was mocked. The other kids didn’t understand Izzy at first, but they grew to appreciate his talents, and their approval made him want to share his curiosity with others.

Eventually, we found out Izzy had his reasons. As a small child, recently, he accidentally overheard his parents discussing his adoption history. He wasn’t their biological son and they didn’t know he had found out.

Call it the burden of knowing, or something, I don't know.

The point being, this pattern of being too smart for his own good followed Izzy throughout his childhood. He didn't want his knowledge to hurt anybody's feelings, but he didn't know how to express himself without alienating his peers. So, he became invested in the world of zeroes and ones, where every problem had a solution if you just thought about it hard enough.

The acceptance of others, even if they didn't always understand him, allowed Izzy to slowly open up again and even come clean with his adoptive parents. Digimon was the first cartoon I had ever saw that treated nerds like real people.

Digimon had the added bonus of kids exploring their feelings, and compared to the cartoon landscape at the time, is what made Digimon so valuable to me.

JoJo's Bizarre Adventure (2012)

Paradise Kiss (2005)

Who here likes indie shit? Who here goes to the Sundance Film Festival because that’s sort of, kind of, what this is. Paradise Kiss is a slow, quiet, and off-beat drama that remains that way, every step of the way.

The best I can describe it is that this is the sort of thing the likes of "Life is Strange" or "Mixtape" wishes that it could be. Paradise Kiss is that rare and beautiful slice-of-life that doesn’t feel like some 40 year old’s view of high school. This isn’t the Disney Channel and this sure as hell isn’t the CW.

You may not always like Caroline and George. They’re problematic. They make a lot of stupid mistakes that can’t be taken back and step away from things you could have sworn would have led them to a happy ending.

It takes the honesty and frequent meaninglessness of life and gives it meaning without trading in a second of it’s realism. And Paradise Kiss ends the same way that it starts, true, honest. No fairy tale happy endings and no damning tragedies.

Paradise Kiss was just such an authentic experience that moves you just as much as it pushes you to think about the character’s lives, or even your own.

Paradise Kiss is simply one-of-a-kind and I'll never forget about it.

Neon Genesis Evangelion (1995) / Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann (2007)

Oh dear god.

The thing about these two shows is that... they’re flawed. They’re two sides of the same coin, both entirely different shows, but equally have both of their heads shoved up their whole entire assholes.

Are there shows with better writing? Of course. Are there shows with better themes? Absolutely. Are there smarter and healthier shows out there? Yes. But none of that comperes to the sheer, unbridled joy I experienced watching these two shows on separate occasions.

I had so. much. straight up. fun.

It really shows how much worse animation has gotten in just a few years. Stories are way less satisfying because they’re so packed to the brim with twists and mysteries and subversions. They succumb to world-builders disease so frequently. And they’re so fucking desperate to be considered important and meaningful.

I am so fucking tired of all of this. I’m so tired of being angry and not being able to enjoy something without constantly worrying that it’s going to vanish up it’s own ass. But rather, it thrives up it’s own ass.

Just... just relearn what having fun means, it’s fucking amazing.

Berserk (1997)

I have a weird relationship with the fantasy genre, much less the dark fantasy genre. Not only is the fantasy genre excruciatingly repetitive and boring, but nerds tend to be so deeply insecure about it.

This has always been the big problem with dark fantasy in particular, with people wanting to make the spiritual successor to the Lord of the Rings, but with swearing and racism and gore and rape and all that shit.

Berserk doesn’t shy away from any of this. Hell, practically the main female character gets turned into a vegetable for most of it in order to woobify the male protagonist. And everything is horrible and nothing gets better, and actively wanting it to get better is going to be an exercise in futility.

So, what makes Berserk stand out? Well, it doesn’t shy away from how sissy-gay the fantasy genre can get ether, and I believe, that’s a requirement if you want your fantasy story to be any good. Hell, one of the first scenes you see in Berserk is two men having a naked splash fight together.

This is telling seeing as one of the main inspirations for Berserk is "The Rose of Versailles" and the end result of that, that feminine touch if you will, is a story that’s much more focused on the inner thoughts, feelings, and emotions of it’s characters.

The thing about me is I’ve always had a soft spot for thriller and tragedies, and I think a reason for that, is because I’ve been through some fucked up shit in my own life. I am not okay! And a darker series like Berserk, that allows it’s characters to go through some fucked up shit and process their emotions, I think, can help you process your own emotions and fucked up shit you’ve experienced in your own life.

Perhaps the greatest tragedy of them all is how Berserk doesn’t have a true ending, it just stops. The creator of Berserk is dead. Berserk is over.

And... that's just fucking perfect!

Mushishi (2005)

I like watching this show before bedtime.

Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken! (2020)

This is a series that follows a group of three high school girls who attempt to make an anime together. And that’s it, there’s your show.

What really makes this series not only good but also accessible is the well-defined chemistry of the three leads. Very early on you’re able to get a clear picture of their temperaments and the things that drive them, giving rise to believable character-based moments of cooperation, conflict, and comedy.

Kanamori, for example, her dominating personality, in a lesser show they probably would have presented her as this heartless caricature, but getting to know her better, getting to see her sentimental side, and understanding her pragmatic approach to fiscal sustainability...

The point being, how well and how respectfully these three characters were presented goes a long way, and is a surprise highlight, in a show about celebrating artistic expression.

Kanamori doesn’t do things to make money, she makes money to do things, and that’s an important distinction. And that's just wonderful.

I think what it ultimately comes down to is that I’ve always had a vetted interest in seeing people making things. It’s what I spend 90% of my time online doing. And this is one of those shows that scratches that itch for me.

And also, I'm autistic, so there you go, that explains it.

Spy x Family (2022)

Similar to the last entry on this list, this is probably one of the most, if not the most “normie” entries on my list. This is one of those shows that’s accessible, meaning, that basically anybody can watch, that you don’t have to be a sick fuck like me to be able to enjoy.

Spy x Family is a very sincere and earnest found family story, that is dressed up in the aesthetics of a spy thriller. It is surprisingly good.

Spy x Family is just beautifully charming, exceedingly hilarious, and extremely earnest. The plot lines all seem to be made to serve very fun characters, whom all range from adorable to completely insane.

This is one of those shows that's difficult to talk about because there’s nothing else I can really tell you other than “it’s good” without simply explaining what happens in it. It’s just cute and silly, I guess, I don’t know.

Welcome to the N.H.K. (2006)

Okay, so, remember what I said about adorably insane characters? This is yet another instance of that, this time centred around people who aren’t doing anything with their lives. Their lives are going nowhere.

However... this is also one of those entries that’s just gallows black. Haha, I’m not okay! I'm in danger!

This is a show that goes out of it’s way to explore addictive subcultures in Japan, be that porn, MMORPG’s, you name it. And I don’t wanna spoil the really juicy nonsense this guy gets sucked into, holy heck.

The thing is, we’ve all had those dark days where we curl up under a blanket and just want time to stop, so we can never leave the house again and face what haunts us. Misery is comfortable, it’s why so many prefer it.

It’s a series about a group of people who just can’t escape that, ever, and is willing to have fun at their expense, as well as extending a hand of benevolence every now and again. It’s.. it’s not too mean-spirited, ya know? I can relate.

Great Teacher Onizuka (1999)

There’s a couple of entries on this list that are... well, they’re ugly. This is a dank ass show. This show had a wig, a dream, and 5 cans of Coke Zero.

This is one of those entries that I think are influenced by me, well, being Canadian, and this in particular, growing up with the Trailer Park Boys.

It’s the opposite of School of Rock, not a teacher showing kids to value their education and become good students, but rather, to basically screw their education if it’s keeping them from being good people and responsible adults.

Onizuka doesn't teach math or language or science or music, he teaches how to live a good life, and I think that's just fucking genius.

The sense of humour on display here is really good. It’s simple and irreverent, it’s dirty, but it’s not stupid. The whole thing runs on character personalities and comedy of error setups, and that just takes cleaver writing to pull off.

Owing to how dank this show is, this thing has a horrendous dub, and two or three people are playing all of the parts, but... it’s kind of a blast. If you’re looking for a show where it’s all Steve Blum, all the time, well, here you go.

Great Teacher Onizuka is hilarious and moving, and it never plays the status-quo on you. It’s a comedy that evolves, the story and characters, and even the school, are constantly changing, helping to make the tonal shifts down the line feel completely natural.

You know, I’m actually quite proud to put this dank ass show on my list.

The Vision of Escaflowne (1996)

How can I explain this? It’s... the fantastical saga of a girl who falls down the rabbit hole so to speak, into a world where there are dragons, magic, a war with the empire, and she can control it’s future with the powers her pendent.

...or can she?

I’ve talked about my weird relationship with the fantasy genre before and Escaflowne is perfectly executed, meat and potatoes, old school fantasy. It’s got perfect pacing, top delivery, and gripping tension...

...but it also contains tropes and narrative beats that are all old as dirt and have been done to death by this point.

Clearly that’s not a real problem because this series just does not waste one fucking frame of it’s runtime, I am dead serious. And I was hooked from the first minute to the last. The story was always moving, every conversation feels fulfilling, there are many characters but they all fill their roles well...

Just... bless you, I kiss you on the feet, bravo.

Yeah, the setup is like every old-school fantasy cliche ever, but the execution is unforgettable. Maybe I’m just blinded by how good the writing is? Hmm...

It's.. it's really good, you guys.

Revolutionary Girl Utena (1997)

This is a series that I’ve struggled with a bit in recent times because... well, let’s just spoil what the ending was leading up to. I've also been thinking about this for like, three decades, so I need to get this out of my system.

The thing you all need to understand about Revolutionary Girl Utena first and foremost, I think, is that this was most likely coming from a place a distain, and it's a distain for Tuxedo Mask specifically.

That might be a hard pill to swallow because the 90s Sailor Moon series, at least these days, comes under fire because the way it differs from the manga, well, it was clearly made by men. Focusing more on the action, fighting, and the power of friendship.

The reason this hits a raw nerve is due to how people talk about Sailor Moon online, like how there was this one outlet where the manga was described as being a cultural touchstone, only because of what the anime “improved” on it.

You see, the manga was more about how Usagi struggles with the weight of the world on her shoulders and trying to protect those that she loves. She learns what it means to become selfless for those around her instead of her own self-satisfaction. This is in addition to her star-crossed romance with Tuxedo Mask.

In the anime, Chibiusa was annoying and no one liked her. But in the manga, she’s relatable, who is struggling with her own identity and wanting to be a grown-up.

However... I will admit that what comes out of this distain, in my opinion, is very interesting, about how oppressive systems cannot be weaponized for good. They are designed for power and are designed to resist you doing that.

The thing is, Utena was never going to save Anthy by being the one to enslave her instead of her brother. A gilded cage is still a cage. The part where Anthy betrays Utena carries a lot of thematic weight to it, she chooses the devil she knows over the unknown because the unknown is frightening.

You see, Utena fails because this was still ultimately someone trying to control her, however well-meaning they may be, and she is likely just setting herself up for more abuse. Utena got it into her own head that she could beat the villains at their own game, and it ultimately got her killed because it eroded the trust Anthy had in her.

Anthy now has to be the one to free herself by wanting to believe that things could be better, and in the end, she is able to walk away, all by herself.

The penultimate message of this show is ultimately "All Princes are Bastards". This is not a system designed for benevolence, it's designed for power, and the victims of that system will not believe you when you say that you are going to be benevolent with it.

It's only when on her dying breath, that Utena approaches Anthy as an equal and a companion, decidedly not as a prince, that Anthy's hope for something better returns to her.

I know that might be a hard pill to swallow if you thought that it was "girl power" for girls to become a prince, and that girls can be princes too, but that was never going to come from a man who fucking hated Tuxedo Mask.

Revolutionizing the world is a bad thing in this series, it's a red herring for the villains. It's a carrousel, it's an eternal state of arrested development.

Anyways, screw Tuxedo Mask, Sailor Star Fighter is a lot better.

YuYu Hakusho (1992) / Hunter x Hunter (2011)

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