Anime Diet

Let’s get this party started!

These past 10 years have been truly amazing. Around the year 2000 is when I came into full swing and acceptance of my love of anime and it wasn’t going anywhere in my life. I had spent the previous 5 years watching almost every bit of Ranma 1/2 on VHS I could get my hands on. I had the Tenchi OVA on VCD (who remembers those?) and had just purchased the first volume of Cowboy Bebop, subtitled, in clamshell VHS. (Who remembers THOSE?) This was not only a new decade, but also the next era in anime. I bought my first anime on DVDs (the Tenchi Muyo in Love movie and the first volume of Saber Marionette J) and saw fansubs on VHS disappear altogether. Anime had gone digital. Then everything exploded.

I really had no idea what to make of this. I was actually pretty frustrated with the new onslaught of fans. They were getting younger and younger. Certain sites made anime synonymous with trolling. Regular access to the Internet brought all kinds of creatures out of the woodwork. The line between the anime fans and the “hentai culture” started getting blurred. This was actually a big change to a lot of us who had been big fans in the 90’s. At least it was for me. Around 2003 I got so frustrated I deleted my presence and left the online community altogether. I was certain that these changes would be the downfall and end of the “anime fad” outside of Japan. Around that same time, access to anime just avalanched outside in Japan. It was almost overwhelming. Seeing that I spent all of my spare time watching anime instead of dealing with online drama, I averaged over 1000 episodes a year from 2004-2008. In the 90’s I was lucky if I could get ACCESS to a hundred a year.

Needless to say, many things happened this decade that will shape the whole anime genre for generations to come. Even in Japan, while a lot of people still favor and reminisce of the greatness that was the 80’s and 90’s as the start of the anime revolution, you can not deny the rocket boost that the digital revolution of the past 10 years has brought to anime.

That said, this decade was extremely difficult for me to narrow down. I took in so much like a sponge and yet there was a lot I didn’t see. I’ve read a lot of other lists on other sites and I feel so much is missing, forgotten, and spited. Lots of people can write reviews and you can get a synopsis from any old site. My list is truly my tops, but my reasoning is mostly on how these shows affected me or the fandom as a whole. I think that this past decade may stand out as the start, or the definitive golden age of the modern anime series for many decades to come. I had a hard time narrowing it down, which is why I have so many special mentions. Here we go!

1. Aria (all seasons)

This is the best anime ever as far as backgrounds, scenery, and the world it created. Even though the city in Aria is based on a copy or futuristic version of a real city, not even in real life can many cities compete with Venice. Every frame is a work of art. The story is almost perfection as far as plots go… it so effortlessly carries you into the world and you learn as Akari learns. Things happen with no explanation, but they still make sense because of the foundation that is built as we go through their lives in every episode. Never has an anime wrapped me so much into the characters, story, and the environment. It’s a little slow paced for some, but anybody who is a true Aria fan knows that there is nothing like this. Nothing comes close.

2. Samurai Champloo

When I first saw the trailer for Samurai Champloo I had just come off a R.O.D. the TV high, which I had thought had some of the best series animation I had seen in awhile. Just the trailer for Samurai Champloo had more actual animation than almost anything in Japan in a long time. This show blew me away and still does to this day. Even with it’s weird two season split and kind of corny side stories (which I think help if be even more great…) it STILL stands out to this day. It’s responsible for getting me into Japanese Hip Hop. This was also an idea that I’m glad the Japanese did first. The samurai/Hip Hop thing has always been done terribly in America. Here’s to the best champuru done to this day and one of my most rewatched series of all time.

3. Lucky Star

When I think anime in the past 10 years the first that ALWAYS comes to mind is Lucky Star. Always. It was and still is one of the definitive shows for a lot fans everywhere. It still reigned in Akihabara until K-ON! came along and if they ever make a second season I’m more then sure it will dominate the spotlight for even longer. It was one of the first big dividers that I can remember that split the gaijin fanbase, too. Food anime it was, but to this day it’s still the definitive representation for slice of life comedies and modern anime culture.

4. Chobits

Chobits was at the start of current era of anime we know today. It was from back in the day when manga-ka took risks and tried hard to come up with original stories. This was so far from what CLAMP had been doing, I remember some people thinking that it wouldn’t be good at all. It ended up being such a tragically beautiful story with beyond amazing character designs that stole all our hearts. This is one of the definitive gateway shows for a lot of people and inspired a lot of the current crop of artists and manga-ka. As for me, it was the first show that I ever saw a preview of in a Japanese Newtype and thought, “I know I’m going to like this…”

5. Mahou Shoujo Lyrical Nanoha

This is one of the shows that I’m putting here because I’m sure not many people will. In Japan Nanoha is serious business, and with the movie coming out this year the buzz just hasn’t gone away. As a huge fan myself you HAVE to give this series credit where it’s due. It is the definitive and most likely the best modern day magical girl series to date. Almost no series is brave enough to have their characters grow up (Pretty Cure is a close second) and do it right. It has its moments, some of them almost Dragonball-like, but after 3 seasons nothing still competes. This show has some of the most memorable characters in anime this decade.

6. Read or Die: The TV and OVA

This is the most original and amazing adventure story in the past 10 years. There is nothing that comes even close. Anybody can set something in an unknown planet, ruins, or fantasy world. I love the premise of slightly altering reality. The OVA and some of the TV has some of the best animation this decade. Yomiko is one of the best character creations as well… I bet if you look hard you can see many, many characters that are based on her over the years. The TV series was such a perfect segway and continuation, too. Though the ending wasn’t what I wanted, I guess I’ve come to accept that over time. If you haven’t seen the OVA, it’s one of the best of the past 20 years.

7. Azumanga Daioh

The Anime Gateway drug. At the start of one of the golden eras of amazing anime (2002-2004) this is one of the first slice of life shows a lot of people were introduced to. It’s one of the few shows everybody I know has seen, whether they liked it or not. The style isn’t that dated either… if you look at a lot of the whole moeblob series it almost seems like they were based off of Azumanga. I started watching clips on Youtube recently and I must say, it still looks very modern. There’s something to be said for simplicity, and Azumanga Daioh is simply amazing.

8. Air

I had to think hard with this one. Everything KEY does is amazing. I still love the original Kanon. Clannad was amazing… but when I thought hard as to what really, really got to me, it has to be Air. Nothing made me cry harder. Nothing made me more confused and wanting more. Nothing. This was before the Kanon remake and Clannad, so the animation for its time was simply amazing. Someday I will rewatch this when I can gather the courage. I did rewatch the movie a year or so ago, which is also amazing.

9. Rozen Maiden

Rozen Maiden was my first real obsession. I must have seen every episode at least 5 times, most likely more for the first season. It was half that it came out in a really empty time in my life and half that it fed on one of my obsessions with stories about dolls and my fascination with Gothic & Lolita. Even though the story kinda threw me for a loop at times and the ending of the manga was completely disappointing, the fact that we may get more in the future keeps me at bay. I think it was one of the first weird obsessions for a lot of people from what I gathered on the Internet. I was a Suiseiseki fan before the whole Desu fad went postal, then I kinda drifted to Suigintou. It’s yet another series that has become a big representation of the fandom.

10. Full Moon wo Sagashite

I had to think long and hard about this one. While many, many other shows deserve to be on this list, I had to think as to what affected me the most over these past years. When reading over an old private blog I kept on LiveJounal I saw the span of about a year when I watched this. Then I remembered…. I remembered how wrapped up in this show my friend and I were. I remember seeing the ending and saying that I can never watch this again. I get caught up in some stories too easily, I know. I’m quick to get teary-eyed at dramatic or amazing moments, but there are moments in Full Moon wo Sagashite that left me paralyzed in sadness. If you have never seen this show you would never know looking at the character designs. It really catches you off guard. And for once a sad show has a perfect ending that is simply beautiful. I have a hard time recommending this to others… It’s long… It’s sad… It’s slow paced sometimes… but I can’t wait until I can gather up the courage to watch it again.

Special mentions – In Alphabetical order.

Clannad – The first 2 season powerhouse from KEY. Still teeters with Air in my favorites….

Gakuen Alice – Still one of my favorites. Mikan is one of my favorite characters of all time.

Galaxy Angel – How an anybody forget one of the best gag franchises of the decade?

Haibane Renmei - One of the most original and beautiful shows of the past 20 years. Would be 11 on my list.

Honey & Clover – One of the greatest college life shows made to date. The first to have a live-action adaptation that I also loved and thought it did justice.

Ichigo Mashimaro – This show deserves a full write up some day. It doesn’t get the love it deserves (for certain reasons)

K-ON! – The last minute Game Changer. Next decade is going to be interesting.

Kure-nai – Most overlooked Sci-Fi thriller of the decade. Amazing animation.

Love Hina – The one that everybody forgot. Love Hina was THE anime in the early part of the decade. The last thing I ever got on VHS fansubs too, I think.

Mai-Hime – Credit given where it’s due.

Maria-sama ga Miteru – Shoujo-ai perfection.

Moyashimon – Another show that’s not on my list because of the lack of MOAR. One of the most original shows of the decade and still a powerhouse in Japan.

Nodame Cantable – Still ongoing. Another show that would be in my top 10 if it was finished. Nodame is another of the greatest characters in anime history.

Pani Poni Dash – Another game changer. On of the best gag animes of the decade. Defined a style that is still distinct and in use.

Paradise Kiss -  An Ai Yazawa anime masterpiece.

Saishuuheiki Kanojo – Beautiful sadness.

School Rumble – Another under appreciated, amazing comedy. Still reading the manga as it’s released.

Shakugan no Shana – Though downplayed in my mind by the Kugimiya Rie Explosion that occurred after, still an awesome show.

Simoun – Hideously overlooked. Beautiful and original. The Utena of this decade.

Spice & Wolf – If it continues it’s current path into another season, Spice and Wolf could reach my top ten of all time. I need a good ending before I’ll do so.

Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagaan – One of the few truly epic shows of the past 20 years.

Tsukuyomi ~Moon Phase~ - Greatest anime OP to date. Needs more recognition overall.

I feel bad for a lot of the great Anime in 2009… I have a hard time putting them on the list because they’re too fresh in my mind for a proper analysis. Time tells the best tale, so you never know what will stick with you over the years.

I have purposely left Haruhi out of my list in protest. I think that if Kyoani and it’s creators continue to pull the stunts that they pulled lately that it will have nothing but a negative impact on the fandom. I could be wrong, though. Only time will tell.

On that bombshell… Goodnight!