Secrets to Success: Attack on Titan

If you barely know anime, if you’ve only seen it at a passing glance, you’ve probably heard of Attack on Titan.

Known as Shingeki no Kyojin to the Japanese (and “that weird anime with the giants” to everyone else), Attack on Titan is the smash hit shounen anime where humanity fights giant creatures called Titans, who like to eat people for no known reason. It’s a bloody, dramatic affair with lots of action, plenty of trauma, and some of the coolest plot points I’ve ever seen. It’s also famous for having two of the most kick-ass openings in history, courtesy of Linked Horizon’s songwriter, Revo.

Fans are sitting on the edge of their seats for the next season, which is due to air next year.

How can something so graphic, so dark, and so dramatic earn such an enthusiastic base from all sides? After all, anime of a more “grim and grit” nature tend to have niche followings, and a common way for people to parody anime is to remark on how serious and overdramatic it is. How does AOT still get mocked for its dramatic tone, and still become a smash success?

Well, to be blunt, it’s because it doesn’t get lost in the darkness. Attack on Titan is not a wallowing nose-dive into the dark, but a painful, hard-core claw towards victory, come hell or high-water, with some kick-ass writing behind it. It is, without a shadow of a doubt, a smash-success.

That success begins with the avoidance of pointless gore. AOT does enjoy the splatter of blood, practically painting its characters in it (or drowning them in a pool of it). Such things are not inherently evil, but the appeal can wear off fast. Case in point, most Mortal Kombat lethality moves are short and sweet, because going any longer would lose its appeal.

But when that gore is a part of something bigger, when it adds to an already tense situation, the fun stretches itself out. Much like the anime Higurashi, AOT is attempting to shock its audience to a greater point, to fully emphasize that the situation is dire. After all, it’s one thing for characters to tell you that the Titans have nearly wiped out humanity; it’s another thing entirely to watch them devour half of the cast you just saw in training, and see the bubbling insides of their bellies. It’s meant to shock you not because “scary” but because things are just that bad.

Now this is where the other half of the audience may have dropped off. It’s a sea of blackness before you: a situation as bleak as it gets and you’re hit with trauma after trauma. Here, half of the audience goes “well shit, what’s the point if this is never gonna get better?” and switches to watching Naruto (where, ironically, it just keeps getting worse). This, dear children, is called Darkness-Induced Audience Apathy, and you should remember it next time you write that gritty, dark fanfic where Light is just “so misunderstood” and L kicks puppies.

Ah, but Hajime Isayama and the anime gave us two glimmers of hope in this darkness: Eren Jaeger and Revo.

One of the biggest draws to this anime is the opening theme song, which should go down in history as one of the most metal, fist-pumping anthems of all time. In a genius move, Revo took the dire straights of the situation and turned it into a power anthem of a soldier, marching forward no matter what evil comes their way. That anthem is inspired by the show’s main character, Eren Jaeger, whose resolve to fight and kill the titans is iron-clan and infectious. Eren won’t lay down and die, or let his drive to fight be squashed by the darkness. Because he won’t give up, the audience has a small glimmer of hope they can cling to, and the opening reinforces it. Because we are not the food,  wir sind der Jäger (we are the hunters).

So you have a story that’s more focused on plot than edge, and a character that refuses to go under the oncoming waves of angst. Now how do you create a mega-popular series that crosses lines to get even anime detractors to watch it? Well, you flex those fingers, get the cranks in your head turning, and you churn out the best writing you possibly can.

The actual narrative in AOT is exceptional, loaded with suspense, drama, and even comedy when appropriate.  Pathos and action take center stage for most of the show. At least they did for season one, but we still have plenty of mysteries hanging over our heads. Much like Scott Cawthon does with the Five Nights at Freddy’s lore, Isayama knows how to leak just enough information to hook the audience then keep leading them on. This, combined with some beautiful animation, makes for one of the most successful shows anime has ever seen.

 

What do you love about Attack on Titan, or do you think the show’s a mess and overrated? Feel free to comment about whatever in the comments below, and I’d love a like if you enjoyed yourself. Don’t forget to follow if you want more content!

Top Ten Creepiest Pokemon

Poke’ fever has returned!

The release of Pokemon Go has reawakened the storm of the 90’s, adding new fans onto the train and giving long-time riders a much-needed jolt. Watching everybody go ga-ga again over Pokemon just about knocks me over with nostalgia, and I’m all the sadder that my phone can’t run the game.

But someday, someday. Life goals and all that.

In the meantime, I’ve been regaled with accusations of how people are giving adults who play the game a hard time. “It’s for kids” they cry and shame the non-children who are just trying to enjoy life and have interests. For those folk, and all of you lovely readers, I present Pokemon’s creepiest, most dangerous, and most disturbing Pokemon. Because this franchise gets far more adult than anyone gives it credit.

10. Muk & Grimer–Red/Blue/Yellow

Cheating here, but it’s so hard to pick between two sliding, moving, crawling balls of toxic goo.

Muk’s Pokedex entries have always been some of the most disheartening ones, all involving some form of eating sewage and killing everything it slides over. Even more disturbing, later ones dictate that Muk and his pre-evolution, Grimer, are dangerous to touch and can create new poisons if combined with other Muk/Grimer. These two are popular poison types to catch, but it’s hard not to look at them and see death sliding by.

9. Kadabra–Red/Blue/Yellow

Abra is so cute. Then it changes into an angry-eyebrowed alien… thing that may or may not have been a human once. Y’know, for kids.

Emerald was already on thin ice by suggesting that there used to be no difference between humans and Pokemon way back in the day. Then it went the extra mile and directly said it through Kadabra’s Pokedex entry:

“It is rumored that a boy with psychic abilities suddenly transformed into Kadabra while he was assisting research into extrasensory powers.”

Yes, you read that right. A little boy woke up one day to see he’d turned into this for no explainable reason. Let that one sit in your brain and fester; I’m eager to see what becomes of it.

8. Cubone –Red/Blue/Yellow

Because nothing says love like wearable remains.

Cubone’s an odd-ball, walking around with a big ole’ bone head and smacking Pokemon with a femur. Then you read some of its Pokedex entries (I’m seeing a theme here) and he becomes just about the saddest, creepiest thing in generation one. where you learn that it wears the skull of its mother and is known to cry in the night for her. Think about

There’s a reason you meet this thing at Lavdnertown first. This adorable little dinosaur  wears the skull of its late mother and is known to cry in the night for her.  There’s not telling whether or not that femur bone comes from her too, so I encourage you to use the disturbing part of your imaginations.

7. Parasect — Gold/Silver/Crystal

But what’s worse than wearing the skull of your dead mother? How about being a mushroom zombie?

Paras and Parasect were always strange Pokemon, not really having much to offer trainers and appearing in mass. But what I, and presumably several never knew, was that the evolution of Paras is an utter monstrosity. Remember how Paras was arguably cute, what with those bug eyes and tiny mushrooms on its back? Those mushrooms are living in a symbiotic relationship, which is squicky enough, but then, when Paras becomes Parasect, the Pokemon dies and those mushrooms take over them completely. In other words, the giant mushroom on its back is the result of a once symbiotic relationship going into the red.

But you know, at least it’s still safe, right? That’s creepy and all but it won’t harm you specifically. Well, that’s where our next entry comes in, and things get dangerous

6. Banette–Emerald/Saphire/Ruby

Now we’re getting into harm’s way, parents, so buckle up.

There’s already a fear of dolls that exists in full strength on the internet. Take that fear and add the ability to move and kill people, and you’ve got Banette. Banette was a doll owned by a child that got thrown away. It turned into a Pokemon of pure hatred, a ghost type specifically, and is now on the hunt for the kid who threw it in the trash.  And, if I recall, aren’t most Pokemon Trainers supposed to be ten?

Mind yourself next time you venture into the graveyard.

5. Gorebyss — Sapphire/Ruby/Emerald

Stop right there!

I see what you’re doing; you stop that right now. You stop looking at this Pokemon above you in admiration, or thinking “aw, it’s so pretty, how bad could it be?” You stop that right now because Gorebyss is a vampire among Pokemon, to the point where even the Pokedex admits you shouldn’t like it.

Although Gorebyss is the very picture of elegance and beauty while swimming, it is also cruel. When it spots prey, this Pokémon inserts its thin mouth into the prey’s body and drains the prey of its body fluids

This thing will stab other Pokemon and drink until the Pokemon is a dry, brittle mess of skin and bones. Maybe you should keep this Pokemon away from other teammates while out on our kid-friendly adventure, hm?

4. Cofagrigus –Black/White

So you’re off on your Pokemon adventure at ten years old. You’ve got a strong team, you’re earning badges, just having the time of your life. Then, after looking around the desert ruins, this abomination pops up.

And even better, it will probably attack you.

According to Cofagrigus’s Pokedex entry, this Egyptian nightmare is rumored to attack people, rip ’em apart, and turn them into mummies. I never want to see what this coffin Pokemon has inside his box, but my love of everything creepy will probably make me catch/evolve it.

3. Shedinja–Black/White

Insect Pokemon may already be a source of “ick” for you, as it was for Misty back in the day. But Nincada takes that a little further and produces something truly strange. When it evolves into Ninjask, an extra Pokemon will appear in your team. It’s a “shed” species called Shedinja. In other words, the shed skin comes to life as a ghost type, complete with halo.

As nasty as that is, it’s not nasty enough to beat a mummification Pokemon and vampire Pokemon, right? Wrong. Because that little hole in Shedinja’s back is rumored to steal your soul if you stare at it. Oh gee, what part of the Pokemon does the trainer stare at all day?

2. Lampent– Black/White

Speaking of souls, how about a Pokemon that collects them?

There’s always been the Pokemon that feels like the design team ran out of ideas, including Litwick and its evolution, Lampent. But don’t scoff at this little lantern just yet, because that pretty blue fire has a horrifying cost: human souls.

Lampent, once again according to the Pokedex, is known to hang around hospitals waiting for people to pass on so it can fuel its fire. I’m almost positive it’s based on some Japanese legend, but I have yet to find it. Either way, if trainers see this fire while sick in the hospital, it’s likely bad things are coming.

1. Yamask — Black and White

At the end of the day, it’s the first stage of the coffin Pokemon that takes the cake for the scariest, creepiest, most disturbing creature Pokemon ever spat out. Take almost everything you’ve just read above and combine it into one hell of a disturbing concept and you have Yamask.

This oddball roams Relic Castle, a decrepit, ancient ruin in the middle of Unova’s Desert Resort (because nothing says relaxation like sandstorms and fighting cacti.) Its human appearance is striking indeed, but far from an accident. For you see, each Yamask was a human in life, and now a Pokemon in death. In short, you could very well be capturing the soul of someone who used to live in that very castle, and forcing them to fight for your benefit.

Oh, and that mask they’re carrying? It’s their face from when they were human. And, as an added bonus, the Yamask will possess you if you stare at it. That mask also cries when it remembers its human life.

Maybe Yamask isn’t the scariest looking Pokemon, but I believe it to be the most disturbing in concept. Pokemon Go has reawakened the need to catch ‘em all, but don’t be surprised if you find something truly frightening on your next adventure.

 

What Pokemon creeps you out? What’s your favorite part of Pokemon Go? Feel free to like and comment below and don’t forget to follow for more content.

Secrets to Success: One Piece

When it comes to anime, Pirates have definitely beaten Ninjas.

It’s far from hyperbole to say that One Piece has conquered Shounen Island, going from best selling manga of all time to one of the most-watched shows on Japanese TV. It’s not just kids watching this fun, fast-paced romp on the high seas; adults are cueing up to nibble alongside them. With over 700+ episodes under its belt and movie number 13 slated for this month, One Piece feels like the anime that will always be tied to the upper tier of the anime fish tank.

This is not a toy. This is a lifesize Going Merry. You may be thrilled now.

And yet, the fans couldn’t be more thrilled: why? I even admitted in one of my own posts that most series have a shelf-life, and yet One Piece has left that little “limit” crying in a corner two streets back. How does this show continue to move forward and be decent quality despite its absurd length?

By keeping things connected. One Piece’s  greatest strength is the open world feel of it all. Instead of setting one straight line for the audience to follow, giving a narrow view of the setting, One Piece drops the viewer into a world as large and intricate as our own, and we follow Luffy as he explores every inch of it. It’s a character-driven story of discovery and exploration, something most shounen can’t boast.

This is the face of “winning.”

And the characters, as it turns out, are One Piece’s greatest strength. The greatest sin of stagnation is character overflow: when you’ve introduced so many people that the audience no longer cares to remember names or faces. One Piece hovers dangerously close to this problem, unavoidable when you truck on for 600+ episodes, and non-fans of the show will gleefully tell you that this makes it an over-bloated cash cow meant to print money.

But fans, like myself, don’t mind the character abundance because each character is interesting and intricate. And, even better, side characters come back as main characters all the time. You never know who’s gonna get a promotion on this show, or whose gonna be one of the most well-loved characters in the entire show.

First villain, destined for greatness

But all the good characters in the world can’t help a series that moves at a snail’s pace. When shounen gets into seasonal rot it will linger on plotlines, taking up 5+ episodes just to resolve one fight. This DBZ-style stretching is used to draw in more money for a series that’s dying, when the idea bucket gets a hole and runs dry. I’ve heard critics accuse One Piece of doing much of the same, that the series has so many episodes just to draw in all the money. To this I say they have a point: You’d be blind to say that Oda wasn’t pumping out episodes to pay his mortgage.

Then my response would be thus: it’s okay, because he’s giving us new content in return. One Piece keeps the new material coming, and doesn’t linger longer than necessary to get things settled. Each new piece of the story builds on this massive world and, once again, gets called back later on to accent new plotlines. In short, this cash-cow still provides enough good milk to avoid getting a bullet between the eyes, unlike other popular shows

All I’m gonna say is cough cough.

So you have your great pacing, great characters, and a story that feels more like open world exploration. But we could still get stale if we weren’t careful; the story could still feel like it’s going on and on, and a bored audience with a short attention span will quit the field. How in the world can Oda-Sensei keep these fans watching his glorious brain-child without foaming at the mouth?

By making them laugh like a hyena, then cry buckets down the line.

No ifs, ands, or buts, this show is funny. But the comedy almost always has this sad, dramatic lining underneath it, with some genuinely sad backstories, great tragedies, and super high stakes. But those who aren’t a fan of sad stories can rest assured, the show doesn’t let the sadness sit for very long. Even when someone’s tragic backstory has been dropped neatly in your lap there’s a bunch of jokes waiting in wings.

I’d go on forever if given the chance, so let me just end it with this: Yes, One Piece is a cash cow in the same vein as Pokemon, a monster of a story that can go on forever and keep the money coming in. But the show is going forward with quality material that demonstrably stands heads above your average shonen, and fans are a-ok if the writing stays as good as it’s always been. The show is good, no arguments about it, and I highly recommend it to everyone I meet. In fact, all of you who haven’t seen the show and read this post, go watch it.

You won’t be sorry.

What’s your favorite anime? Do you think One Piece comedy gold or overrated pyrite? Feel free to comment whatever below, and don’t forget to like and follow for more content!

My Anime Pet Peeves

I, like many other sheltered anime nerds, have watched a crap-ton of anime. It’s hard not to indulge with the abundance of titles and stories available, even if a grand majority will be sub-par. And when you take lots of samples from the anime chocolate tray, the cliche-cream filling becomes more and more apparent.
Anime, for all its awesome, rests itself on a mountain of repeated tropes: Dere-types, school stories, sword-wielding shounen protagonists, and short skirts than anyone ever wanted in their life. These little buggers bounce around from show to show, successful with some audiences and failures to others. But, while the success of most hinges on the show’s writer, some aren’t salvageable no matter how good the stories are. Straight from the treetops of “Oh God, not this again,” these are my biggest anime pet peeves.

• Allow me to Stop Punching You and Explain Myself…

I actually love shounen anime. It goes to a level of action that shoujo isn’t comfortable with, and I like me some punchy-violence as much as the next gamer-girl. Good shows will provide fast-paced, plot-driven fights that go for a few episodes before wrapping up and moving forward with the plot. Bad shounen will throw a few punches, dump battle exposition on the audience, and then maybe get back to hurting each other. By episode ten, Characters A and B are still yelling about how awesome they are, and an end is not in sight.

Why, Goku, why?

Exposition-ladled fights in shounen are almost infamous by this point, mocked on the internet since the early 2000s. It doesn’t make them any less annoying when they’re still popping up in modern shounen, making them a retro-trend most of us would rather forget.

• I am Boring, Forever and Ever.

As a writer, I understand the need for a character arc. We can’t start out as the Very Best, there’s training to do, faces to smash, drama to be had! But a character that refuses to make any headway and continues to be useless and uninteresting is my kill switch for an anime unless that character gets the boot.

Maybe one day, Shinji. I doubt it, though.

This trope is hardly exclusive to anime, but it’s very rampant in the medium. If it isn’t the bumbling idiot male in harem animes, whose confidence and strength never increase, its characters like Shinji Ikari, who refuse to grow up and overcome whatever difficulties they’re given in life. You can argue that this is more realistic in terms of writing, but you can also argue that it’s less entertaining for the audience as a whole.

• Abuse is Okay For Love

A tag onto the last one, perhaps, but still quite annoying.

Imagine, for a chance, an anime where the male punched a woman in the face because she accidently walked in on him while he was changing. Despite it being a complete accident, and despite her apologies, he sends her sailing far into the horizon and landing in the chicken coop of a nearby farm. This would be rightfully unacceptable, and the male character would be labeled as evil.

But why, oh why, is the scenario I just described okay when the roles are switched?

I can be abusive because Tsundere, bitch!

Now I’m not here to get political, but I will say that I find myself annoyed at an anime when the majority of the comedy is tagged on a male lead being punched around by some “tsundere” whom I’m supposed to find endearing. This  is what turns me off titles like Love Hina or the Tenchi Series because I don’t find this one-note joke all that funny. I can forgive it for action shows like Naruto because I know that violence is gonna be aplenty, and I can overlook it for Kagura in Fruits Basket because it’s not the main focus, but I just can’t get over it when it’s the center stage.

• Feel Sorry for the Cute Little Terror

Again, not exclusive to anime. But, again, very common.

Nothing is more annoying than a kid character causing trouble and chaos to the point of annoying the audience. They go about being mean and bratty with reckless abandon, getting no punishment for their actions, while touting a little smug smile. And then, when they finally get caught, you’re told you’re supposed to forgive them because “they’re just a kid, they don’t know any better.” After all, aren’t children just so innocent?

See? Isn’t she harmless?

The short answer is hell no. They’re not fun to watch because the abuse they heap onto the main character also annoys the living hell out of the audience, and asking them to feel sympathy later on for that character will only add fuel to the fire. Maybe it’s something you can only understand if you have kids of your own, or maybe you’re supposed to feel some schadenfreude, but this usually ends with the audience hating a character the author really liked.

What are your anime pet peeves? Feel free to comment below. Don’t forget to like and follow for more content like this, and we’ll see you next time.

Top Ten Toonami Anime Shows

Last week we recounted how Toonami ushered in the American Anime Apocalypse, and how nothing has been the same since. The research for that post drowned me in nostalgia for all the fighting, the excitement, the over-abundance of bishounen, and even for all the drama peppered through it.

I found a list of shows Toonami aired, and I was surprised at how many of them I remember. Not only did I recognize them, I could easily recall myself watching them back in 1998 and early 2000s. These crystal clear images are a testament to how much of an impact Toonami had, earning them some special places in the hall of fame. Love ’em or hate’em, these are the top ten anime shows on Toonami.

As always, these are just my favorites. Feel free to share any you loved below.

Honorable Mentions:

• Cowboy BeBop — only excluded because it’s more new Toonami than old Toonami. Otherwise, one of the best shows of the medium, and everyone should see it at least once.
• One Piece– Freaking awesome show, but excluded from this list because old Toonami aired the godawful 4kids dub back in the day. Best viewed in its original form.

10. Ronin Warriors

Power Rangers had a pretty simple formula: a group of teenagers fighting the forces of evil in cool get-ups with cool powers. Imagine that with ancient Japanese magic, and you have Ronin Warriors.

Instead of teenagers with attitude, Ronin Warriors stars five men whose families were tasked with guarding five armor pieces that were blessed imbued with good magic. But the evil demon Talapa, who originally owned the evil armor, returns to the mortal world and starts killing to get his suit back. To save the world, these five men must don the ancient armor and fight their way through four demon warlords.

 This was one of the first shows Toonami ever aired, and it works well. It never really sought to be more than a cool action show, like Voltron, giving it an enjoyable sincerity. If you can get into Power Rangers for its silly and honest nature, than this will be no problem.

9. Bobobo-bo Bo-Bobo

For a show to be good, it doesn’t have to be super serious… or make too much sense, really.

Bobobo-Bo Bo-Bobo is the comedy that Teen Titans GO should have been. From the crazy mind of Yoshio Sawai,  we have a Fist of the North Star parody about hair, anime tropes, and so many puns. references that are funny even outside of Japan. Follow Bobobo, an afro-clad fighter saving the world from Sir Baldy-Bald and his dreaded Hair Hunters. Along with a very “colorful” cast of characters, Bo and company get into all kinds of trouble, but nothing can stand in the way of Bo’s utter randomness, or his “fist of the nose hair” style.

Here, what shines is the work of the translators. Manzai humor relies on puns, visual gags, nonsexual cross-dressing, and pop-culture references that can be difficult to transfer overseas.  But the translators took enough liberties to keep things sounding smooth and kept the comedic timing taught. Fast-paced, random and cocky as it comes, this show will either make you laugh or question what you just sat through. Either way, you’ll never forget it.

8. Dragon Ball Z

One of the few some of you saw coming, I’m sure. But yes, the granddaddy of all Shounen anime was indeed one of the best moves Toonami made, and one of the very first anime I ever saw.

Dragon Ball Z came from the manga of the same name by Akira Toriyama, about monkey-alien karate fighter Goku and his rag-tag group of Z-fighters. They routinely defend earth (and other planets sometimes) from various awesome threats by using Ki energy and cool fighting styles. The episodes were either fight-heavy or talk-heavy, depending on where the plot was, but the show did know how to be pretty damn funny when it wanted to. Action-packed and high energy, it’s hard not to get caught up in the show’s uber-machismo.

7. .Hack//SIGN

But action can only get you so far. And, just sometimes, you want more drama than fighting. This is where .Hack//SIGN comes in.

If you’re new to the .Hack franchise, allow me to welcome you to The World, a fictional MMORPG before MMO’s existed. Here you can fight, make friends, hang out, open a shop, or anything else you want. But, for some people, it’s the place where their biggest fears, their faults in life, and their insecurities are given terrifying shape. And when that happens, there’s nothing you can do but confront it.

Such will be the case of Tsubasa, who’s now trapped in The World with no means of logging off. But, instead of the permanent escape, Tsubasa’s problems have followed him to The World, and a strange entity is set on making everyone else feel his pain.

.Hack//SIGN is pathos over punches, providing a much slower, emotionally paced anime over the Shounen-action-fests prior. It was an experiment that didn’t last long enough to bring more .Hack shows to Toonami, but it was enjoyable while it lasted.

6. The Big O

But you know what I love? Action, drama, mystery…and giant robots.

Welcome to Paradigm city, where every citizen has lost their memories! Enter Roger Smith, the city’s top negotiator who occasionally has to make use of an ancient relic from the past: a giant fighting mecha named Big O. With the help of an android named Dorothy and his battle-butler, Norman, they solve crimes, fight bad guys, and try to uncover The Big Secret hovering over the entire city. It would have been one of my favorites, had it lasted longer than two seasons.

But what we did get was still awesome. We got ourselves a unique blend of film noir, western animation, action, and mecha anime. With one of the catchiest openings in anime tacked on, and the smooth voice acting of Steve Blum accenting the action, you’re in for one hell of a ride. I only wish that the anime’s second season hadn’t been so subpar. What a letdown.

5.Cardcaptors

While a kid’s show doesn’t need to be super dramatic, it helps to have a plot both kids and adults can enjoy. Cardcaptors, or Cardcaptor Sakura in its original form, follows little Sakura Kinomoto as she accidentally releases the magical Clow Cards from the book in her father’s study. Now they’re scattered all over town, and she’s been anointed a Cardcaptor to capture them all. No shiny transformation sequences here, but we have an abundance of cute outfits, fast-paced action, real suspense, and some awesome looking magic.

The best part about the show was the mystery in each episode: which Clow Card revealed itself, and how do we stop it?  If you wanna see some real gold in storytelling, I highly recommend “Sakura’s Scary Test of Courage” where she goes after The Erase Card. You’ll scare yourself silly if you think about the concept hard enough.

4. Outlaw Star

Outlaw Star is the unfairly compared cousin to Cowboy BeBop, that looked more to be its own thing than an actual follow-up. Both concern a rag-tag group of people making a living in the deep cosmos of space but where one is attempting to stretch the limits of action and drama in anime, Outlaw Star just wants to be a fun Space Western.

Gene Starwind, a gruff, rude, perverted, but ultimately decent odd-job man finds himself caught up in a whirlwind of events when he accidentally takes a job from infamous outlaw, Ice Hilda. You see, Hilda’s carrying some rather hot contraband that can open the gates to the greatest power in the galaxy; her name is Melfina. When Hilda drops Melfina and her ship on Gene’s shoulders, he decides it’s time to get his ass in gear and do what he’s always wanted to do: became a Space Outlaw.

The humor in this show is always golden, it laces so well with the action. I love anime that can give me compelling gunfights, and I love Sci-Fi that can balance technology with plot. Outlaw Star is just pure grade fun from start to finish and deserves a comeback to television.

3. Yu Yu Hakusho

Why yes, I did just say a lesser known martial arts anime is better than DBZ. I eagerly await the angry emails.

Yusuke Urameshi is a lot of things: a punk, a flunkie, a disappointment to his mother, but no one ever expected him to be a hero, especially at the cost of his life. But Yusuke’s sudden sacrifice pays off with a new gig: Spirit Detective. Now the high school thug is The Spirit World’s champion, fighting demons and solving crimes. Joining him for the ride is his rival/best friend Kuwabara, Hiei the fire demon, and Kurama the former Thief King.

This show has the same focus as DBZ, what with the group of young men fighting bad guys for greater good, but the characters are far more fleshed out. The show successfully balances drama and action, providing real moments of pathos alongside well-choreographed fights. This is the fist-fest of DBZ refined to a wider audience, and I adore it to teeny, tiny pieces.

2. Sailor Moon

Gotta love the classics and the anime that kickstarted my love for the medium.

Usagi Tsukino (or Serena Tsukino if you saw it in my time) is a clutzy crybaby who’s given the power to transform into Sailor Moon, earth’s defender and champion of justice. With the help of her fellow Sailor Scouts, they save their home from enemies that seek to drain its energy, awaken great evils, or even destroy the planet.

What makes Sailor Moon so amazing is its focus on female empowerment through traditionally female means. There’s no leather-clad bad-ass who “likes to play with the boys” here, there’s a rag-tag group of girls who wear their skirts proud and actively want to be swept off their feet. It empowers women through their femininity, something I explored in a previous post, and worth a second glance.

1. Rurouni Kenshin

Kenshin Himura practically swam through blood for the Meiji Revolution, killing so many people that he was known as the hitokiri Battousai. But the great manslayer vanished at the war’s conclusion, trading swords and vowing to never kill again. While wandering Japan in atonement, he finds himself at the Kamiya Dojo in Tokyo, run by a young assistant master, Kaoru Kamiya, her student Yahiko, and a host of other new friends. He decides to stay awhile but has no idea what massive danger he brings down on their heads.

Not many shows can boast to balance comedy, drama, romance, and action in one place, but Kenshin does just that. The focus is mostly on the action and comedy, but the romance and pathos are sprinkled in as accents, a sweet sugar lining to the cocktail glass. A well-balanced show with well-rounded characters, Kenshin is a hidden gem that deserves more screentime, and a season that doesn’t end in filler.
What shows from Toonami did you love? Feel free to comment below! And don’t forget to like and follow for more content.