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On Anime: An If/Then Guide to What You Should Be Watching
How to get away from the usual "Ranma 1/2" and "Gundam."
If you liked “Neon Genesis Evangelion,” then you should watch…
“Chaos;Head”
Completely devoid of mecha, this adaptation a “visual novel” game from Studio Madhouse (who’ve produced other selected series on this list) is one of the most psychologically compelling coming-of-age/teen stories to come out this year. Main character Takumi is a textbook example of an otaku. With no interest in “three-dimensional girls,” he spends all his time on the web or with video games, performing the bare minimum to pass his classes. Slowly, word of something called “The New Generation” spreads — Internet memes that inevitably occur in real life. From there, our hapless nerd of a protagonist begins being stalked by girls who claim he’s deeply involved within “The New Generation,” despite his pleas that he has nothing to do with it. More in lieu with “Serial Experiments Lain,” “Chaos;Head” is a trippy self-examination of what it means to be growing up in an age of new media while desperately searching for answers and a way to fight against it — as Takumi eventually tries to by buying toy swords that he’s convinced will help him against his enemies. Of course, it all ultimately becomes far more relevant than he hoped.
If you were a dude and liked “Sailor Moon,” then you should watch…
“Strike Witches”
In an alternate 1939, the Neuroi have suddenly appeared, alien Nazi counterparts with floating fortresses resembling fighter planes have decimated countries, spreading a “miasma” that destroys buildings and other structures while creating more weapons for them to use. The only ones who can fight them? Young girls with a large amount of magic who can never wear pants (seriously), have tiny cat ears, attach metal to their legs and then fly around while generating plenty of gratuitous panty shots. Because nothing says “savior of humanity” like a tiny girl who looks about 12 with her skirt flaring up. Using magic. While fighting aliens in sci-fi parallels of World War II battles. In the epitome of “fan service,” the Blu-ray releases of “Strike Witches” in Japan were being touted with special “adult” shots of the girls in order to boost sales.
If you liked “Ranma 1/2,” “Maison Ikkoku” or anything else remotely teenage and angsty, then you should watch…
“ToraDora!”
A wonderful love story between angsty high schoolers so tightly wound that they can never admit their true feelings — at first. Ryuji looks like a delinquent gangster, but wants nothing more than to be left alone and chase the girl of his dreams, Minori. In his way, though, is Taiga, a diminutive girl who has a rousing temper due to her size and doll-like appearance. Ryuji has no clue though, and mutters upon seeing her, “Oh. She looks like a tiny tiger. Palm-top tiger. I get it.” And is promptly attacked. The two team up upon realizing they both want to get with the other’s best friend and take it upon themselves to express their feelings. Of course, it works out in classic melodramatic style, but it’s oddly adorable to watch as Ryuji and Taiga — whose names are a play on Dragon and Tiger, hence the yin/yang and “Tora” and “Dora” — eventually come together, if they manage it at all.
If you liked “M.D. Geist,” then you should watch….
“Casshern SINS”
This show is a reboot of the classic ’70s anime series “Casshern” in which there’s no apocalypse or great battle against the bad guy. The world is ruined and a mysterious “rust” has appeared on every robot. Buildings are in decay, the skies are purple and the robots mutter stories about how if they eat Casshern, then the “rust” will stop and they’ll live again. Throughout all of this, Casshern has no memory of who he is, why he caused the destruction of humanity and technology, and how it all relates to a woman named Luna. While it can be overly emo-tastic, with long segments pondering life, woe is Casshern and the inevitable “I must eat Casshern,” it’s one of the best new series that came from the 2008-2009 anime season and the best pick of the group we’ve offered you here.
[Additional photos: "Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann," Bandai America, 2007; "ToraDora!," TV Tokyo, 2008]
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Tags: Anime, Casshern, Casshern SINS, Gundam, Gurren Lagann, Japan, M.D. Geist, Neon Genesis Evangelion, Ranma 1/2, Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann, ToraDora!
