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N-list Self-Diagnostics

Mentioned here via Ani-note–basically, your favorite anime say something about you. No brainer. But it’s fun. And I’m in the mood to write some no-brainers.

As corollary, any kind of list which exercises the arbitrary selection process (eligible for copyright?) is probably saying more about the entity that makes the list than the list itself. Which is to say most top-n-entity survey lists are pretty dumb because it’s put together by a mob of people. Or it’s probably worth pointing out that your #2-5s say more about you than your #1!

I’m due to redo my top-10 lists anyways, so here’s a glimpse.

Personal favorites:

1. Nadesico (Mainly just the TV show)
2. Magic Knight Rayearth (Season 1 mostly)
3. Excel Saga (Possibly the only Nabeshin show I truly loved)
4. Millennium Actress (It formed a personal connection with me)
5. Cowboy Bebop (It’s here because it’s an easy pick, and it includes the film, surely)

Even as I say this, only #1 and occasionally #3 pop into my mind from time to time. #5 comes in a lot in the context of Yoko Kanno, and while it has some mainstream appeal, it’s the only timeless context that is relevant to me on any sort of day-to-day basis. Because I would rather it look like:

1. Manabi Straight
2. Utena
3. FLCL
4. Simoun
5. RahXehpon

I suspect if I didn’t watch anime in the 90s, it would have looked a lot more like that. Well, wait, I might have dropped RahXephon and FLCL because those shows work more powerfully if you have context in terms of other anime you have seen, although they are both quite potent by themselves.

There’s room for more play, for example, top 5 favorite anime films:

1. Millennium Actress
2. Utena the movie
3. Whisper of the Heart
4. Porco Rosso
5. 5 Centimeters per Second

I think it’s sort of self-evident what kind of second-gen fan I am. Need more help? Favorite comedies:

1. Full Metal Panic Fumoffu
2. Excel Saga
3. Karekano (This is more a glimpse of how I think of this show than any statement about Karekano being funny)
4. Ebichu (Just had to)
5. Azumana Daioh

Favorite artsy-housey tee vee (getting really specific here):

1. Koi Kaze
2. Haibane Renmei
3. Yamamoto Yohko
4. Witch Hunter Robin
5. Earth Girl Arjuna

To-Heart and Hidamari Sketch would almost qualify…

And that’s a wrap. So much exhibitionist tendencies satisfied in one single post. Yea, I’m kind of not in a mood to write. It’s like I poured all my motivation into 3 tl;dr drafts talking about the same thing in three different ways, but I don’t feel comfortable posting them orz. Forgive me for boring you with a post that I normally wouldn’t do.

Year in Review: She’s Going the Distance, a Great Feat of Strength

Going to mention a list of 12 lists of 12 items each. So a nested list. All 144 items. Annotated for the most part. Don’t ask me why I use these pronouns the way I do…

..More

Consumers X Producers = What Are You, a Fanatic?

The short take–

Fans:

Hobbyists:

The long take–

..More

The Basics of Basics - Mid-Season Update

I’ve been busy lately; and during this time I appreciate my anime viewing habits all the more.

In some ways, as adults, anime is a luxury that few can afford in excess–and it’s not so much a cost issue but a time and effort issue. Thanks to things like fansubbing and lawless digital distribution a person like me can afford both the technical complexity (like, not have to deal with DRM) and easy access to a large library of works. With the help of my anime-watching brethren, bloggers, and like-minded internet peeps, I can even fine-tune my selection with helps of all kinds of review websites, blogs, and old fashion word-of-mouth.

And because my anime watching is limited I treasure the few shows I get to watch even more. It’s lovely how scarcity makes you look at something in a different light.

I wish I also had the time to share all my insights, but why blog when I don’t even have the time to watch the show I like? It’s a puzzling dilemma.

Still, it’s important to sing praise where it’s due, so to get on with it:

Macross Frontier - Amusingly, despite its imperfections, it delivers. Maybe the magic behind Macross is that it is a fairly silly and flawed, but entertaining adventure with drool-worthy toys to sell and the generic aspiration of an (American) idol. And it just happens that idol entertainment is really in these days. Anyways, not complaining about how I love it when a plan comes together. Few franchises that span generations are so unashamed and so blatant. From the get-go we are asked which one to kiss!

Kurenai - Those who have traversed through the magical land of New York City of Red Garden can attest to how you take your weaknesses and forge them into new strengths in Kurenai. Granted we’re no longer talking about walking dead people but some kind of strange and mystical feudal Japan lineage problem, but its unique production style and sharing of artistic designs invariably link the two shows together. It’s even MORE like Gilmore Girls than ever before, which isn’t a bad thing per se. It just makes it no easier to stomach than Red Garden.

Kaiba - There’s just as much intrigue with this show as with Kurenai. The difference is that there’s only one-tenth of the dialog and one-half the laughs. It also reminds me I really should buy those Tweeny Witches DVDs. I have to say that I like this more though.

Tower of Druaga - How many people have actually played the original game? I have faint memories of it, but why would anyone evoke random 80s video game names with their shows? Leaving the novel release format aside, the show is a very hearty, non-serious adventure that should charm most viewers. And it is all about charm. For what it is worth I did buy the season pass for the show from Bost TV, even if somehow my home internet connection have problems with that site.

Code Geass R2 - Mai Hime of 2008. Now with more slutbiri.

Soul Eater - I can care less about shounen adventures but I really like stylish visuals and killer animation. Soul Eater delivers this in spades. In fact, it even knows that people don’t really care about shounen adventures.

Toshokan Sensou - If Tokyotosho goes to war, will you pick up your rifle? I jest, but between the great voice acting and the heart warming, but crappy excuse for character drama, I have unconsciously pushed this title on the top of the to-watch pile.

And I have a large to-watch pile. But a smaller pile of praises. So I’ll stop here.