Early Anime that needs to be re-watched through older lens

As a teen I saw a couple of animes. As a college students I started to rewatch these shows and saw that I missed a lot of things. These three animes that defiantly need to be rewatched as an adult.

“Cowboy Bebop”

Classic anime that has stood the test of time.

Summary:

We follow a group of bounty hunters, in the future space, and their adventures attempting to catch criminals.

Why it’s great:

We see this group of bounty hunters in different roles and emotions that are not typical from this genre of anime. The world created is the perfect representation of a beautiful dystopia.  The soundtrack is stunning.

What I thought as a child:

“Oh my gosh, this is so cool seeing space bounty hunters lock up space bad guys.”  I was basically watching the show as a cops and robbers series.  I never looked at the deeper meanings that were said between characters.

After a rewatch:

I began to pay closer attention to dialogue between characters. Spike, one of the main characters, deals with depression and loneliness because of his tough past.  Faye, suffers from loneliness, but because she choose to not trust anyone. Their character develops so much through the course of this anime.

“Neon Genesis Evangelion”

Classic that is slightly confusing but regarded highly.

Summary:

We follow a group of teenagers who battle in giant robot armor to fight off alien beings to save the world.

Why it’s great:

For starters it’s a classic. For many anime lovers you cannot even being to call yourself an anime buff without watching this series. It’s great mecha action and good drama for a coming of age story.

What I thought as a child:

“Cool dumb action between robots. What’s not to love?” I remember watching this and thinking about how much damage these two giant monster were doing. Once the action was over I got bored. The dialogues between characters bored me as a child; I wanted action not drama.

After a Rewatch:

I began to see how abused the characters were throughout this series. The main character Shinji Ikari deals with abandonment and guilt issues over the absence of his father and death of his mother. Asuka Langley Soryu has suffered through trauma with the suicide of her mother and needing validation from others to praise her.

“Full Metal Alchemist”

Great series, even better with brother hood out.

Summary:

Following two brother on a quest to find philosopher stones. The stones will bring back one bothers arm and leg and the other brother his whole body back.

Why it’s great:

After watching this series I had a better understanding and appreciation for the research that was done in order to make this series. Aside from the science of the series, all the characters in this show are very likable.

What I thought as a child:

“What a cool story! The laws of alchemy are really interesting. I wonder what would happen if I tried this?” I just could not stop thinking about creating something out of nothing.

After a Rewatch:

This anime deals with family and sins. It is through the love of family that they triumph in the quest. There are seven sin that are portrayed in the anime and their emotions once dealing with the brothers amazes me every time.

Anime Gifts for Grads

Graduation is fun some some and sad of others. The feels are real.

It’s that time of year where you’re sad that grads are leaving and scurrying to get them gifts before you say your good-byes. If you are stumped for anime gift ideas I have some quick suggestions for what to get grads.

For Grads who are in need of a new wallet here are some cool designs:

Low key Attack on Titan wallet. Get it here:

“Neon Genesis Evangelion” wallet. Get it here

By far one of my favorite childhood anime shows. This Cardcaptor wallet is amazing. Get it here

For Grads who will need to ditch their backpack for a purse here are some options.

Small cross body for only essentials. Get it here

Large enough tote to fit almost everything..Get it here

Another great tote with lots of room from “My Neighbor Totoro”. Get it here

Want to put some personality into your cubical at work? Here are a variety of ways to just that.

If your office is ok with this small “Parasyte the Maxim” figure/ pen hold then add it to you cubical. Get it here

The coffee in the new mug will wake you and your co-workers up with this design from “Tokyo Ghoul”. Get it here

Need to take notes on “Another” notepad, then this is perfect. Get it here:

Favorite Studio Ghibli Films

My love and excitement for this studio is real.

The magical world of Studio Ghibli is an animation studio with gripping stories and incredible visuals that pull you into their world. This animation giant has made countless great movies, but here are just three that I will always love.

“Grave of the Fireflies”

I’ve never cried so hard in my life.

This is the type of great film that you do not want to watch again. I haven’t met someone who is willing to watch it again, because it is just a depressing film.

In this war film we follow Seita and Setsuko, siblings, in Japan who are trying to survive World War II.  After the Americans drop the atomic bomb on Japan, the nation is left in chaos.  The war turns those who are alive into selfish people. The siblings quickly learn that all they have is each other and they must learn to survive on their own.

Why it’s great:

• Great Anti War film: It shows the other side of war. We see the lives of innocents destroyed by war. No one is left unaffected.
• Great story: A disheartening story of war through the eyes of siblings trying to overcome adversity.
• Great Animation: The visuals are stunning for a film that was made in 1988. The grim style only helps the tone of the film.

Cons: I was depressed after I watched this film.

“Spirited Away”

Fun times getting lost, just like my childhood, except not in a magical land.

A children’s classic and a distant cousin to the Disney family; “Spirited Away” is an adventure film filled with incredible character design and story.

We go into a magical land where Chihiro Ogino gets lost and has to find her way back home. In this world she is put to work the second she gets there. She must now find a way to escape this world and return to her own world.

Why it’s great:

• Brings you back to childhood memories: Our main character is Chihiro Ogino, a 10-year-old girl whose curiosity gets her into trouble. When we were about that age we got curious and went off on our own adventure. It just reminds me of good times.
• Beautiful animation:

I wonder how long this took to animate.

This scene gets me every time.

I wish I had a garden that looked that good.

I mean do I even have to say anything for this.

Cons: I wish he had made a sequel.

It feel this way with most Studio Ghibli films

 “Howl’ Moving Castle”

My first exposure to Studio Ghibli

Another classic that is part of the Disney family.

In this film we meet Sophie, a young hat maker and Howl, a young wizard, who try to help one another with their curses from an evil witch.

Why it’s great:

Great Story: In this film we have action, adventure, and romance; without a single romantic cliché.

Character Development: By the end of this film, our main characters get a new outlook on life. None of their story lines are cut short. This doesn’t seem like much but when you look at the amount of characters in this film you will appreciate that they have a resolution.

Animation:

The only time when I don’t like anime is when it makes me hungry.

The sequence alone is amazing.

Simple and so effective.

no one will ever say bad animation in conjunction with Studio Ghibli.

Cons: I wish it had a bit more romance.

Anime Pick of the Week: Sakamichi no Apollon (Kids on a Slope)

Unrated anime that music lover will enjoy.

I think anyone with a love for jazz music will enjoy this week’s anime pick, Kids on a Slope. This is available on Crunchy Roll and Hulu.

We follow a group of friends in a coming of age story. We have our main character, Kauro, who is taught to loosen up by his friends, Sentarō and Ritsuko.

The music and visuals gets to me every time.

There is romance and drama with all three main characters. They each had difficult lives which makes their bond that much stronger. The music is what ties each one of their lives together.

Anime Influence in Adult Theme Cartoons

I wish this meme would appear on American Dad. I would lose it!

It’s fun to see how anime is viewed in different ways in America. It’s even funnier when our favorite cartoons show their interpretations or homages to the anime world.

South Park was one of the first to introduce the anime style into their own show. A bizarre feeling comes over me when I see these adults anime characters with a fourth-graders voice.

Then came the Family Guy anime bit. This was ok. It was more so mocking anime shows, but hey, that’s Family Guy.

Most recently was The Simpsons, and wow did I enjoy it. There where so many Studio Ghibli characters packed into one seamless scene. Just perfect.

Anime Pick of the Week: Breakups

Man, does this anime make you look back. This week’s pick is Breakups and is available on Crunchy roll and Dailymotion.

The walk down memory lane isn’t always so great.

It is more so an anime short than a full length season with multiple episodes, one similar to last week’s pick, with the exception this is one episode.

We follow a couple who have been in an on again off again relationship. They use a device that takes them through key breakup moments to possibly see what went wrong.

This is a very different art style than what anime watchers are used to. Which for some people makes this slightly hard to watch. If you just get past that small detail, it’s worth it. It is a pleasant story that just hits you and makes you think: “Could I have done something different?”

Anime Pick of the Week: Danna ga Nani wo Itteiru ka Wakaranai Ken (I Can’t Understand What My Husband is Saying)

The most enjoyable three minutes and 30 seconds of your Wednesday will be spent watching “I Can’t’ Understand What My Husband is Saying” available on Crunchy Roll.

Great short anime! Season two is going strong.

This anime is fairly short yet it can tell a story. It has a quirky and easy drawing style that fit this anime. It’s simple yet effective for these shorts that are very easy to marathon through.

We go through the lives of a fairly new married couple who are trying to figure out marriage. The pair is different from one another. The wife has a nine to five job, whereas the husband is a web designer from home and an otaku. Their differences are a running joke but serve the purpose to show us that while different we can still work it out.

Anime Starter Pack

If you would like to get into the wonderful world of anime but you’re not sure where to start, this starter pack should get you going.

• “Parasyte the Maxim“: I can’t even begin to say just how amazing this anime is. It has action, sci-fi, romance, drama, and horror all wrapped up into a 24-episode drama. It features a high school boy, Shinichi Izumi, who gets infected with a parasite, Migi. Together they must fight others who want to kill them and take over the human race, while attempting to live a normal high school life with Migi driving Izumi to lose his humanity. This anime gets a bit philosophical, so watch out for continuing thoughts on what it means to be human.

• “Soul Eater“: This is the turn-off-your-brain and watch awesome action scenes type anime. It combines action, comedy and gore in a fun way. It’s a high school group of teams where one partner wields a weapon, and the other partner transforms into the weapon their partner is using to catch souls. While it is not the most intellectual anime on this list, it’s a fun time watching people get beat up by an out-of-the-ordinary weapons. The humor from the anime comes from the different personality clashes between user and weapon. The small hint of gore sets the whole anime up for an easy to follow action-packed Netflix marathon.

• “HunterxHunter”: I know most anime lists will have this as one of their top must-watch choices, and it deserves all the praise. I haven’t “marathoned” through an anime as quickly as I did with HunterxHunter. HunterxHunter follows a young boy named Gon on his journey to find his father and win his admiration through several arcs in the series. The characters are likable, and you care about their struggles, including the villains. I went through so many emotional ups and downs while “marathoning” this show. This was all because much character development was in this story. Emotions get real with action-packed feels throughout the whole series.

• “Shin-Chan”: It is a comedy anime with crude humor and animation. It follows a six-year-old boy named Shinnosuke “Shin” Nohara, and his family, around “Shin’s” mischievous adventures. What I love about this anime is that it doesn’t take itself seriously ;it knows what it is and just has fun with it. You won’t see beautiful scenes, but you will see rough animation and some hilarious dialogue between an adult and child who simply does not care.

• “Wolf Children”: This is the tear-jerker of the pack. After I was done watching this movie, I still thought about it and the emotions that came with it. We meet a young woman, Hana, who falls in love with a wolf man and then makes a family. The death of the father leaves her alone to raise her wolf children in a normal society. The animation is whimsical and crisp. The characters are well-developed; we can feel the struggle of both mother and children as they face the loss of a father and a place in society.

I do this every time!

Anime Pick of the Week: Shokugeki no Soma (Food Wars)

This anime takes a whole new meaning to the phrase “I’m having a food organism.”

The anime pick of the week is Food Wars, available on Crunchyroll.  It stars a high school freshman, Sōma Yukihira, who tries to graduate a prestigious cooking school in order to surpass his father’s well known cooking.

The most delicious anime of spring season.

If you love food, humor and fan service this anime will satisfy all your needs. It is a well animated show with vibrant colors and delicious scenes filled with all the emotions food can give you. For a foodie like me this even inspired me to cook a meal instead of just eating it.

Check it out on a full stomach because it will surely make you hungry and come back for more.

Anime Cosplay at Wondercon 2015

Being an anime fan, I constantly find myself thinking, “I wish I could live a day in the life of one of those characters.” Through cosplay I found a way to make that a reality.

Cosplay is a way for fans to show their love and support for their favorite anime shows. These characters move people so much they want to embody them. It is a way for fans like myself to live vicariously through these characters.

Cosplay of Goku and Gohan

While at Wondercon this past weekend I got to enjoy cosplays of a variety of anime characters.  From the young to the old and everything in between, cosplay has made all of us into our favorite characters. The father and son duo dress as Goku and Gohan from Dragon Ball Z made quite an impression on me since the little boy was annoyed of taking pictures all day.

Little girl dressed as Misty, trying to catch them all.

The cosplays at this convention ranged from being complex and intricate to simple and low key. Yet all the characters were recognized by someone wanting to take a real life photo with their favorite anime character. This four-year-old girl might not have known she was Misty from Pokemon, but man did she catch all our hearts with the simple little cosplay outfit her parents put together for her.

Cosplay is not only an escape from bored dull life of being a full time college student or an adult with 40 hour work week or both, it is a way to travel into a different world of sorts. It is a chance to become someone else and live in their shoes for however long a convention is.

An epic meet up between two unlikely characters.

Even cosplayers geek out over each other. Vegeta, from Dragon Ball Z, and Dr, Rockso the Rock and Roll Clown from Metalocalypse were amazed by each others cosplay. While posing for pictures cosplayers put on a mini show for us, using trademark battle poses or catchphrases. Rockso screamed out his signature “I’m Rockso the Rock and Roll Clown, I do cocaine!” and Vegeta shouting “It’s over 9,000!”

The sword is the most impressive weighing bout 8 pounds.

The girl above is Ruby Rose from RWBY. She designed this whole costume by herself. The only material she needed help was with her lovely sword. Her costume is a combination of everyday wear and a few key fabric or shop pieces in order to recreate the look.

For those who do not have a crafty side to them they will buy the costume, which is ok, but those who make the costumes are given more admiration from their peers. It a sense of accomplishment. You are the first to have a costume of that character, or variation of it that no one has ever seen.

So long as you are part of the community, any try is always rewarded with fans still admiring your love for the show.

Cosplay of Mr. Burns from the Simpsons

Mario beating the level to get his power up.

(from left to right) Bender, Zoidberg, and Fry from Futurama

Dr. Nefarious from Ratchet and Clank video game.

Mighty Morphan Power Ranger figures

Eren, (top right), Armin (top left), Levi (bottom), figures from Attack on Titian

Godzilla battle

Baymax cosplay from Big Hero 6

As always Wondercon  never disappoints with its endless sea of cosplay, not only from anime but video games, comics, TV shows, and movie cosplay as well.