Spoiler : Rurouni Kenshin: :
So nostalgic! I used to be a huge fan of the series four years ago.
Rurouni Kenshin is about Kenshin Himura who used to be a hitokiri (=manslayer) during Bakumatsu (revolution in the beginning of 1860s). Now he just wants to live peaceful and happy life. However his past refuses to leave him.
Rurouni Kenshin's biggest strenght is its characters and their developement. Everyone has a proper (and often sad) backstory and motivations. The plot is much better than most of shounen plots (ie. Naruto, Bleach). Instead of just wanting to be best ninja evar or saving a damsel in distress Kenshin focuses more in moving on and accepting oneself. Particularly awesome is Kyoto arc (which begins in episode 28). However the plot isn't perfect - at the beginning and the end there's too many short arcs/filler episodes.
Rurouni Kenshin is about Kenshin Himura who used to be a hitokiri (=manslayer) during Bakumatsu (revolution in the beginning of 1860s). Now he just wants to live peaceful and happy life. However his past refuses to leave him.
Rurouni Kenshin's biggest strenght is its characters and their developement. Everyone has a proper (and often sad) backstory and motivations. The plot is much better than most of shounen plots (ie. Naruto, Bleach). Instead of just wanting to be best ninja evar or saving a damsel in distress Kenshin focuses more in moving on and accepting oneself. Particularly awesome is Kyoto arc (which begins in episode 28). However the plot isn't perfect - at the beginning and the end there's too many short arcs/filler episodes.
Spoiler : Samurai X - Trust & Betrayal director's cut :
Trust & Betrayal (AKA Rurouni Kenshin - Tsuiokuhen) is the first of Rurouni Kenshin's two OAV movies. However it's totally different from the TV series (but still awesome) and watching does not require any previous knowledge about Rurouni Kenshin. It's also my all-time favourite anime movie. Where the original Rurouni Kenshin was a shounen prodigy, Tsuiokuhen is more mature and dark. Trust & Betrayal is a story about Kenshin's past. It tells how he became the man he was - first an innocent boy, then a ruthless killer and finally a kind wanderer. There's something for everyone in Tsuiokuhen: romance, action, moral study, politics and so on... The slight melancholy of the TV-series is far more visible in this OAV so remember tissues when watching!
Spoiler : Naoki Urasawa's MONSTER :
This is my current all-time favourite manga/anime series. Just remember that as a seinen series MONSTER is not meant for kids.
MONSTER is a realistic story (despite its name) about a brain surgeon called dr. Tenma. One day Tenma does what he thinks is right - he ignores orders from his superiors and saves a young boy's life over an important politician. Consequences are disasterous. As if that wasn't enough, nine years later he finds out that the boy he saved was the worst of criminals. A serial killer. This is how dr. Tenma's journey to hunt down this boy, Johan, begins. And speaking of Johan - he is the greatest villain ever. Think about Light from Death Note and multiple his evilness and intelligence by hundred. That's Johan.
MONSTER is excels in plot. If I may quote a certain reviewer
MONSTER is a realistic story (despite its name) about a brain surgeon called dr. Tenma. One day Tenma does what he thinks is right - he ignores orders from his superiors and saves a young boy's life over an important politician. Consequences are disasterous. As if that wasn't enough, nine years later he finds out that the boy he saved was the worst of criminals. A serial killer. This is how dr. Tenma's journey to hunt down this boy, Johan, begins. And speaking of Johan - he is the greatest villain ever. Think about Light from Death Note and multiple his evilness and intelligence by hundred. That's Johan.
MONSTER is excels in plot. If I may quote a certain reviewer
The only flaw I could ever possibly find about the series is that it may be too slow-paced for some people. Honestly, MONSTER is one of the highest-rated animes/mangas ever.reviwer wrote:The Highlights
Plot: Roller coaster thriller, twists at the turn of a page.
Art: Simple yet detailed, great for all those emotional moments.
Characters: Huge cast of developing characters, specially the secondary characters.
Writing: Best. Writing. Ever.
Spoiler : Serial Experiments Lain :
My ava is Lain from this series so you can guess I like it. Serial Experiments Lain or SEL is probably one of the most confusing and difficult to understand animes out there. So I say it right now: if you don't like thinking, this anime is not for you.
SEL is a story about a girl called Lain who starts investigating a case where her already dead classmate seems to be alive in an information network Wired (which represents internet). That's when she notices how blurred the border between real and digital is. Or is there any border at all? SEL is a very rewarding and influental experience to those who are able to understand it. If you are interested here's a review of it.
SEL is a story about a girl called Lain who starts investigating a case where her already dead classmate seems to be alive in an information network Wired (which represents internet). That's when she notices how blurred the border between real and digital is. Or is there any border at all? SEL is a very rewarding and influental experience to those who are able to understand it. If you are interested here's a review of it.
Spoiler : Mushishi :
Mushishi is a little different anime. It's peaceful, slow-paced and episodic.
This series follows a man called Ginko who deals with things called mushis. Mushi is a primitive life form that's visible to few. They're not good or bad. They just live their lives. However sometimes this causes diseases and misfortune to humans. Because of that there's people like Ginko who study mushis and help people to live with them.
Because of its episodic nature you can watch episodes in any order as long as you know the basics. Like nature Mushishi can be heartbreakingly cruel but at the same time forgiving. This is a truly beautiful anime and makes me to appreciate small pleasures in life.
This series follows a man called Ginko who deals with things called mushis. Mushi is a primitive life form that's visible to few. They're not good or bad. They just live their lives. However sometimes this causes diseases and misfortune to humans. Because of that there's people like Ginko who study mushis and help people to live with them.
Because of its episodic nature you can watch episodes in any order as long as you know the basics. Like nature Mushishi can be heartbreakingly cruel but at the same time forgiving. This is a truly beautiful anime and makes me to appreciate small pleasures in life.
Spoiler : Neon Genesis Evangelion :
Everyone in who knows anything about a little older anime should know this classic. NGE has a huge fandom and it (mostly) deserves it. Even though Evangelion is not perfect it still is a must-see. Just remember: this is not for people who suffer from depression. Why? Because the characters potray depression so well that it makes you feel sick.
NGE is about a boy, Shinji Ikari who is suffering a severe teen angst. And suddenly he finds out that his father has more or less forced him to pilot a giant robot and protect Earth. Angst, robots, angst, robots and angst. This is pretty much what NGE is about.
It suprised me how thought out NGE universe is. This is one of the rare occasions when physics even exists in mecha anime. NGE has every little detail planned out.
I said before that the series has a huge fandom. However it has also a massive number of haters. There are three major reasons to this. Characters, plot holes and ending. The characters are well potrayed like I mentioned, but they are angsty and closed in their own little world and that's what can make them annoying. I can't tell about plot holes without spoiling so I move on to the ending. Ending is kind of undecisive. It focuses only on the protagonist's psychological state (and his resolve makes no sense) and ditches the plot.
Despite all of it's flaws NGE is an anime classic and it offers an exellent potrayal of depression and a well thought universe.
NGE is about a boy, Shinji Ikari who is suffering a severe teen angst. And suddenly he finds out that his father has more or less forced him to pilot a giant robot and protect Earth. Angst, robots, angst, robots and angst. This is pretty much what NGE is about.
It suprised me how thought out NGE universe is. This is one of the rare occasions when physics even exists in mecha anime. NGE has every little detail planned out.
I said before that the series has a huge fandom. However it has also a massive number of haters. There are three major reasons to this. Characters, plot holes and ending. The characters are well potrayed like I mentioned, but they are angsty and closed in their own little world and that's what can make them annoying. I can't tell about plot holes without spoiling so I move on to the ending. Ending is kind of undecisive. It focuses only on the protagonist's psychological state (and his resolve makes no sense) and ditches the plot.
Despite all of it's flaws NGE is an anime classic and it offers an exellent potrayal of depression and a well thought universe.
Spoiler : Death Note :
With all the DN references people make in this forum you probably already know what it is about.
Yagami Light finds a notebook which can kill anyone whose name's written in it. With a help of a god of death Light decides to destroy all evil and make a perfect utopia. This begins a cat and mouse -game between him and a mysterious detective L.
Death Note has an exellent story and blah blah blah. I could add here a list of praises, but because we all have heard them so many times I go straight to the weaknesses. Even though the story is suberb there's very little character developement (the protagonist is an exeption). The characters also tend to be rather flat. For example their motivations:
Despite all that Death Note is a modern classic. It's probably the best of the most popular mangas/animes.
Yagami Light finds a notebook which can kill anyone whose name's written in it. With a help of a god of death Light decides to destroy all evil and make a perfect utopia. This begins a cat and mouse -game between him and a mysterious detective L.
Death Note has an exellent story and blah blah blah. I could add here a list of praises, but because we all have heard them so many times I go straight to the weaknesses. Even though the story is suberb there's very little character developement (the protagonist is an exeption). The characters also tend to be rather flat. For example their motivations:
And finally the biggest flaw: Why didn't the story end at book 7/episode 25?Light: Anything for an utopia!
L: I don't want to lose!
Misa: I love Light!
Takada: I love Light!
Mikami: I love my God!
Mello: I want to be number one!
Near: ........
Despite all that Death Note is a modern classic. It's probably the best of the most popular mangas/animes.
Spoiler : Code Geass :
In an alternative universe (basically 1800 century with mecha robots) Holy Britannian Empire have conquered one third of the world. However an outcast prince Lelouch who was betrayed (or that's his view of it) by his father the emperror swears that he will destroy the empire. When he gets a power of absolute obedience, Geass, a revolution begins.
I wanted to mention Code Geass because I have very mixed feelings about it. I hate it and love it at the same time. That's why I just list the cons and pros:
Pros:
+ Even though I guessed the ending few episodes before the last it was still positively epic.
+ Lelouch has to fight against his friends and family and the results are heartbreaking.
+ Plot twists. Lots of them.
+ The first season keeps you on the edge of your seat.
+ Lloyd
+/- Even though Lelouch's personality is a total copy of Light his sister makes him more humane.
Cons:
- Plot holes
- Spinzaku (=Suzaku) is a total hypocrite in the second season.
- The second season (except the ending)
- Filler episodes
- Ridiculous clothes
- Plagiarizing from Death Note (Lelouch = Light, C.C = Ryuk, Geass = Death Note)
- Fanservice
I wanted to mention Code Geass because I have very mixed feelings about it. I hate it and love it at the same time. That's why I just list the cons and pros:
Pros:
+ Even though I guessed the ending few episodes before the last it was still positively epic.
+ Lelouch has to fight against his friends and family and the results are heartbreaking.
+ Plot twists. Lots of them.
+ The first season keeps you on the edge of your seat.
+ Lloyd
+/- Even though Lelouch's personality is a total copy of Light his sister makes him more humane.
Cons:
- Plot holes
- Spinzaku (=Suzaku) is a total hypocrite in the second season.
- The second season (except the ending)
- Filler episodes
- Ridiculous clothes
- Plagiarizing from Death Note (Lelouch = Light, C.C = Ryuk, Geass = Death Note)
- Fanservice