Ah, it’s that time to recommend more Anime? Holy *beep*, time sure flies! Well, let me see what I have to recommend this time around….
(Link – Pixiv)
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Related Articles:
– Round 5:
https://arcticukitsu.com/Blog/?p=2166
– Round 4 – Kitsunes:
– https://arcticukitsu.com/Blog/?p=1976
– Round 3:
https://arcticukitsu.com/Blog/?p=1730
– Round 2:
https://arcticukitsu.com/Blog/?p=1154
– Round 1:
https://arcticukitsu.com/Blog/?p=928
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I’ve noticed many “Eh, this isn’t my anime so I’m going to drop this”, “Meh, the first few episodes are boring so screw this anime”, or “the synopsis seems boring so I think I’ll pass”. Don’t! You may actually miss out on some nice goodies if you do such! Don’t ignore the little things in life either! Just watch it and then send it to the past. But if it’s truly unwatchable and you truly dislike it then just drop it. 😛
Also, it’s hard to spot-light Anime that I like when various companies, especially YouTube keep pulling trailers, along with opening and endings. Trailers should be excluded from being pulled, unless companies truly want their shows to hit rock bottom. It probably makes sense in a business sense when dealing with copyrights and such, but it’s quite silly when you want to make the Anime known to viewers. Removing trailers means that those that wanted to view such are denied from viewing it meaning many lost viewers. Good bye! I had quite a few Anime trailers pulled in my last Anime spot-lights and it is getting quite frustrating trying to support the ones I actually like.
I truly, truly WANT to share my favorite Anime to others just in case someone wants to watch something they never considered, or heard of. Something besides Death Note, Naruto, Bleach, Full Metal Alchemist, and the over-hyped shows that heavily tarnishes the reputation of Anime itself. I WANT to share Anime because I love the the freedom and creativity that the Japanese authors put into their Anime – such as slice-of-life, cultural traditions, drama, mysteries, shocking elements, and small items having a life of their own (personal possessions get attention). Everything in Anime progresses naturally and realistically, even in comedy. Though, I probably might get poked fun at for mentioning that after viewing many demotivational posters.
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1)- Beast Player Erin:
Homepage:Â http://www3.nhk.or.jp/anime/erin/
OP – Aoi Hosi (Blue Star)
(Youtube has an odd fetish for pulling trailers!)
The Anime basically follows a girl named Erin as a young child who lives with her mother in a Touda village. Erin learns how to tend to Touda’s until one dies. Due to tradition, those that care for Touda’s are the ones to blame and are instantly executed. Because of this, Erin ends up learning more about her world, nature, herbs, and even new new rules. Erin must continuously attempt to adapt to society while fighting for her own beliefs that clash with both tradition and politics.
If this sounded boring to those that read it, well….it is a pretty slow Anime that takes it’s time explaining every bit of the show. I actually liked it because it actually does have a straight-forward story, one that people have been desperately seeking to the point where they whine day in and day out on various sites on the web. The story is actually pretty thick, despite it being very slow at some points. When watching I also felt a Moribito vibe from this show, with this show being apparently written by the same author.
Animation quality is actually pretty nice. If I tried to word the quality it would be in the neutral-positive zone, if that makes any sense. Consider any anime you watched and look at all the animations and drawing quality. The flaws I noticed was when Erin played the harp; pros being the overly detailed moth on a lantern with what looked like days spent making it look life-like.
Music is actually in the middle zone. It’s not bad, nor is it the best…it’s just good enough to be considered mainstream. There are some tracks that sound so damn awesome that you can truly associate that musical track with Erin itself (i.e OST 2 – track 24/25)
In short: This Anime is my favorite because of Erin and her strong personality, the story’s vibe, atmosphere, various characters, and the music. Sadly, I couldn’t show you any videos, blame YouTube and it’s copyrights.
(Link – Pixiv)
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2)- [C] The Money of Soul And Possibility Control:
The world! It spins and revolves around money! It’s in every single atom, and cell in the world! Every choice we make has a cause and effect on the world we live in. Kimimaro wanted no part in this and got dragged in by a mysterious fellow who dragged him into the world of [C] where battles determine how much you gain and lose. If you lose, you lose portions of your future. Win, and you gain profit. Assets are assigned to you with appearances based on your future desire, as well as battle for you to gain more profit. Kimimaro must forcefully decide what movements to make and what kind of world he wants to be left with.
Now why is this my favorite? First of all, the trailers hooked me onto this. It showed, and probably poked fun at people thinking that money is everything in the world. Apparently our world is held together by atoms of coins, credits, and paper money?
This Anime also tried going out of it’s comfort zone to insert various languages into the show. English was the mostly used, but sadly “Jennifer Satau” spoke Engrish, which is ironic seeing as she was introduced as an American in Japan. Ah well, they tried which I like.
The Opening sequence did a nice touch with the world currency and attaching America’s thirst for war and etc to each.
Music? Actually seemed nice to listen to within the Anime. I can’t say the same for the overall soundtrack because it hasn’t officially released to the public. Animation quality is actually pretty good. Haven’t really noticed any faults with Animation.
Mashyu (similar to Merry, Renge, and Saber) is a lovable character that helps make [C] a watchable show. She basically makes [C] a watchable show with her constant curiosity, aggressiveness, and desire to see Kimimaro’s desires granted. Also seeing her eat instant noodle soup was a nice bonus!
To those that say this Anime lacks, I’ll agree….to a point. I’m adding this Anime into my favorites because it had potential for being a much more awesome Anime. It’s not horrible or bad, it’s pretty good actually. It simply bounced near the end.
(Link – Pixiv)
(Link – Pixiv)
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3)- Dog Days:
Cinque who was about to go on travels was forcefully sent to aid Biscotti within another dimension different from Earth. Wars are peacefully fought through athletic style battles to determine who wins wars or gains territories. With Biscotti constantly losing “battles”, Cinque is tasked with regaining a winning streak for Biscotti. Humans? Nah! Humans with various Anime traits? Yup!
This Anime is not to be taken seriously, but for those that are having real life issues and need something cheerful. If you had a rough day then Dog Days is for you! As for me, I chose this Anime because of it’s care-free nature, as well as…..*cough*Kitsunes*cough*. Yaaa……Yukikaze was one reason why I was watching the show, another for Firianno Biscotti, Millhiore’s concerts. The battles themselves were entertaining. Even if they were more honorable and fun, they were extremely fun to watch.
Music? Obviously up at the top! Did you hear Millhiore’s concert? The BGM was also enjoyable. And similar to [C], the full OST has yet to be deemed listenable.
Animation quality? Great! My only complaint with the Animation was the sudden quality drop during Millhiore’s second concert. Something dropped somewhere in the studio…..Second season was also hinted at.
(Link – Safebooru)
(Link – Safebooru)
(Couldn’t find a clear group picture, sorry! Have fun with Yukikaze though!)
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4)- Deadman Wonderland: (Not for kids or the weak minded!)
(Just to be safe – This Anime is not recommended to kids, nor average viewers!)
I’ll simply quote this one as I don’t want to butcher the synopsis!
A massive earthquake ravaged Japan’s mainland and destroyed most of Tokyo, sinking three-quarters of it into the ocean.
Ten years later, the story starts with Igarashi Ganta, a seemingly ordinary, unassuming middle school student attending Nagano Prefecture’s middle school. An escapee, a survivor of the great earthquake, Ganta has no memories of the tragedy and has lived a simple, normal life. This all changes one day when a strange man covered in blood and crimson armour appears, floating, out of his classroom windows. Smirking madly, this Red Man massacres Ganta’s entire class and, instead of killing him, embeds a red crystal shard in his chest.
Within days of the massacre, Ganta is declared the sole suspect and, following a suspiciously quick trial, is sentenced to life imprisonment in Deadman Wonderland, a massive theme-park-like prison.
Yaaa…..an Anime about a student being framed for killing a whole classroom and sent into a prison wonderland. Twisted. This isn’t the reason why I watched it, but because of Shiro herself. I saw glances of her here and there so I decided to rid myself of the curiosity and watched it.
Oh? A school trip? Well, you’ll be there soon….damn, you were framed, Ganta! OH SHIT! Prisoners are actually being gassed and killed without a care! WHOA! Flesh eating gas with no censors on the skin being eaten away…..Eye being pulled out…..prisoner’s legs snapping and being eaten alive by the gas….
Nope…I truly didn’t watch the show for the gore, the prison shows….nor the craziness of it. So why? The plot and the character development. The only thing that kept bringing me back was Ganta, Shiro while seeing what would happen next. I wanted to know more while getting surprised by what was once censored, or ignored, by various studios. The story, music, Shiro’s looneyness, and the craziness of it all….
To note: Shiro’s singing and chanting for Ganta was highly amusing and entertaining.
Now this is what I call Anime! Um….just so we’re on the same page…I meant that the freedom to express without suppressing any part of the story is why I love Anime, even though the gore is not in my taste. I can tolerate it…. If Anime is suppressed through censorship and such then it’s no longer Japanese Animation. It’ll be as hollow as Hollywood movies are now known for.
What will characters do with their lives literally on the line? One leg already in the coffin? Will they give up, or will they fight to regain their freedom? This is what I wanted to know basically. What would you do if you were falsely accused and placed in a prison where you were forced to perform for the general public? If you didn’t, you would die in three days time.
(Link – Safebooru) – Look at me! I’m riding a Panda!
(Link – Safebooru)
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5)- GoSick:
I’ll again quote as I don’t want to ruin the synopsis:
The year is 1924, the place, Sauville, a small European country neatly tucked beside the Alps…
Kazuya Kujo has been studying abroad at the prestigious Saint Marguerite Academy, where urban legends and horror stories are all the rage. Most Kazuya ignores but the story of the Queen Berry, a mysterious ghost ship, really gets to him. Of course, his brainy friend Victorique is much more intrigued by true stories, and she uses her unrivaled logic to solve mysteries even the town’s famous detective can’t. Ironically, it is Victorique’s inquisitive nature that leads the duo to board a ship that matches the Queen Berry’s description to a tee, a ship that might just hold the key to solving a sinister mystery…
After seeing this being hyped up so much on both Twitter & Figure.fm I thought I’d finally check it out. Many people were hyping it so it must be good….right? Not always the case, but this is one of those Anime that shocked me by how unique it was. The story and atmosphere was completely different from what would normally be seen. Everything molded together so smoothly that it made this show worth the watch.
What is so special? This show focuses on Victorique (she looks like a European doll) who solves various mysteries by using the “Wellspring of chaos” to gather all the known pieces into one puzzle. She goes around looking at clues and solves both natural and “supernatural” cases while trying to find her mother. Lots of entertaining and surprising twists and turns are placed from the start to the end to keep things highly entertaining. One such example would be both Kujou and Victorique solving a gruesome case with multiple murders (plural) on a “ghost ship”.
The music is pretty deep and seems to have been carefully composed. Every yen that was given to them was placed carefully into every last bit into the story, animation, and music composition. Sadly, this Anime has it’s fault with historical animation. WW2 apparently happened a decade earlier and the nation it takes place in doesn’t really exist. Guess that would actually be granted to many Anime-goers who watch Anime? It’s just one of those Anime you can’t miss, even if it is hyped.
(Link – Safebooru)
(Link – Safebooru)
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6)- Higurashi No Naku Koro Ni: (Not for kids or the weak minded!)
(DS Game trailer because Anime Trailers fell victim to rabid and wild fan-girls that tainted Higurashi’s name.)
After moving into the quiet town of Hinamizawa, Maebara Keiichi spends his days blissfully in school often playing games with his local friends. However, appearances can be deceiving. One fateful day, Keiichi stumbles upon news of a murder that had occurred in Hinamizawa. From this point on, horrific events unfold in front of Keiichi, as he soon learns his close friends may not be all that they seem. Based on the amateur mystery game by 7th Expansion, the story is told in a series of different scenarios.
Not a show for the faint hearted, weak minded, sane, young, or the easily offended. This show might appear light hearted on the outside, but its pretty damn gory, violent, twisted, and makes for an easy target for those wanting to slam Anime. You have characters being infected by some kind of illness (can’t say due to spoiler) that causes them to kill others. The main cast distressed by such incidents try and solve such a case during every “world reset” (explained more in Anime; spoilers). When I was watching it back to back I nearly went insane. Not insane to the point of repeating what the show did, but insane to the point where I felt like I was living in the show.
Same question asked as Deadman Wonderland? I just love it when authors can express freedom of expression through Anime. This Anime isn’t simply about slaughtering! It’s about the main cast trying to solve a serious (repeating) mystery, trying to survive, trying to keep things jolly, while avoiding slaughtering one another. Is everything as it seems or is there a hidden element?
Music is obviously great, and in an obvious dark tone. Soundtrack stays creepy from beginning to end with pockets of happy joyful moments of life. The little things that make living fun! Animation? Awesome, and constant great quality. I haven’t noticed any flaws. Because of this, you can see a massive flood of rabid wild fangirls harping at this show causing the show to be far more tarnished than necessary. To add – Higurashi was blamed and suspended airing due to a 14/16 year old murdering her father with an axe in Japan. I like this Anime for it’s quality, but I dislike the fan-base under this Anime that wants to ruin it within North America. For the sane Higurashi fan-girls, hope you end up shining brighter!
So again, why is this my favorite? The music, the story, and the character development. It had this atmosphere of wanting me to know more and to see how they ended up at the end. However, I will ONLY recommend this to the sane Anime individuals!
(Link – Safebooru)
(Link – Safebooru)
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7)- Asura Cryin’
Natsume Tomoharu is a normal high-school student in every way with one exception: he’s being followed by the ghost of his best friend, Misao.
After moving into his brother’s old house, Tomoharu expects to continue living his normal life but is one day left with a mysterious and locked briefcase without any instruction. At first he plans to leave it in storage, however his house is soon invaded by multiple groups of people after the briefcase. Although still not knowing the purpose of the briefcase, Tomoharu and Misao attempt to escape with it.
From there on, Tomoharu tries to learn the secrets behind the briefcase, the connections between it and Misao and why it has the power to change the world.
This one is not the best, nor is it the worst…..You basically have Natsume who has the ability to summon “mechas” called “Asura”. It’s somewhat like a Pokemon or Medabot battle with the mechas, but every pulls their own weight. There is a bit of supernatural abilities for certain characters.
Music is actually pretty good, and quite dark themed. OST wise, it’s also quite good. Animation? Great, with little noticeable flaws. Story? Hard to summarize for me, thus me copying and pasting it from MAL. I was left with a great feeling when watching the Anime, thus me recommending it.
I also like second season’s concept…..though, that might be a spoiler. You’ll probably know what I mean if you watched it, or are about to.
(Link – Pixiv)
(Link – Pixiv)
Wasn’t well received? Not that many pictures. Your choice if you want to watch or not!
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Well, those are my picks for now! Hope you enjoyed the read, skim, or a few of the Anime’s I mentioned! Also, I apologize if I may have insulted or offended anybody with any poor wording or comments. It may be my frustration leaking through, or it might be something else. Simply wanted to say what I thought about this batch of favorites!
Well, until……September? Peace! Don’t melt in this summer heat!