Top 5 Anime of 2012

My feelings toward the anime I viewed this year were overall quite positive, even though not all of the classics that I set out to watch made this list. But the surprises that were in store were quite welcome, with Serial Experiments Lain and Casshern Sins proving among the freshest entries into the science fiction genre. Ghost in the Shell proved disappointing, but series like Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, Cowboy Bebop, and Darker Than Black: Gemini of the Meteor more than made up for it (that last series came just a hair shy of making this list). As I begin working my way through new anime for 2013, here are the five anime I was most impressed with in 2012 - keep in mind that, as with my top five video games of the year, the rankings do not necessarily reflect the ratings I ascribed to them, but rather are a reflection of my own personal enjoyment in watching them.

#5 - Casshern Sins: As mentioned in my review of this series, Casshern Sins presents a breathtakingly beautiful vision of a world on its way to extinction. This is one of the most fresh and original post-apocalyptic tales I've experienced in recent years, and it is thanks in large part to the fact that the cast is almost entirely devoid of humans. Instead, the world's remaining populous is comprised primarily of robots - robots who have discovered they are mortal, thanks to Casshern's unleashing the Ruin. The way that these robots take on human characteristics or even behave in ways they believe to be human is as entertaining as it is unsettling, as there is little to compare them to in this increasingly devoid realm. Meanwhile, Casshern's need to conquer his destructive side and learn just who he is and what he has done, as well as the manner in which he learns from each individual he meets, fuels the main story arc.

#4 - Serial Experiments Lain: The more experimental a sci-fi anime is, the greater tendency it has to be highly-polarizing. In the case of Serial Experiments Lain, my viewing experience was one so bizarre yet fulfilling - a feeling that can only be accurately compared to my first viewing of Neon Genesis Evangelion. Lain is incredibly trippy, and the series raises just as many questions as it answers. But it's a wonderfully inventive product of 1990s grunge culture and new wave industrial science fiction.

#3 - Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam: I'm a huge fan of Gundam and tend to be partial to the Universal Century series over the Alternate Universe visions of this long-standing mecha powerhouse. I have a real appreciation for everything that was accomplished with Zeta Gundam in solidifying a number of characteristics that would appear in nearly every Gundam series thereafter. Sure, the dialogue is cheesy at times, and the battles often take on a back-and-forth approach for large portions of episodes. But on the larger scale, the writing is solid, the mobile suit designs very creative, and the characters quite the likeable bunch. The dynamic that Lt. Quattro and Kamille share is easily one of my favorites in the metaseries, and the fact that there's a balance of cast members new and old makes the show all the more accessible.

#2 - Akira: I'm quite fond of early science fiction/speculative fiction works like those by Aldous Huxley and Ray Bradbury, and Akira certainly carried a similar tone throughout. I'm also a diehard fan of Neon Genesis Evangelion, and to see one of its predecessors handled so perfectly was a real treat. Though I've seen a fair number of standalone anime films in my day, there are not many that I consider to be at the caliber of full-fledged series. But Akira is an incredible achievement for its day, and ranks as one of my very favorite anime films.

#1 - Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood: I fell in love with the 2003 quickly after starting it, and though I realize it deviated heavily from the manga source material, I still found the development of plot and characters a major step up from most other anime. Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood cranks it up another notch, having better focus in mind from the outset. Though the first dozen episodes are rather fast-paced, the remainder of the series is handled brilliantly as Ed and Al search for a way to restore their bodies. The story feels more complex due to its following a now-completed source material, and the story of the brothers Elric is easily one of the most wonderfully human tales expressed in any modern fantasy epic.

25 Days of Anime - #17: Akira

Futuristic motorbikes, territorial gang warfare, growing political and social unrest, and one military organization's search for a successor to the ultimate being set the stage for 1988's Akira. From a visual standpoint, the film is masterful - watching the opening scenes alone, it's crazy to think all of it was hand-drawn and that it still looks impressive today. The soundtrack is a strange combination of feudal-era Japanese music with 1980s electronic tunes. Akira's presentation is quite fitting - it's a meeting of ideas new and old.

Lead characters Tetsuo and Kaneda live day to day shirking responsibilities in the classroom and spend their nights getting into bike races and bloodsport. That is, until a military group selects Tetsuo as a prime candidate for their experiments. Though they have tried many times to find a proper heir to that which a super-powerful child named Akira accomplished, each attempt to replicate his abilities only went so far. They were left with children who looked the part of elderly people, and only one was able to move about freely on his own two legs.

Immediately following Tetsuo's abduction, Kaneda and friends unsure of how to get him back. Not long after, though, Kaneda enlists the help of a radical political group, his inspiration stemming from his attraction toward a young woman in their ranks. As Kaneda digs deeper and deeper into his friend's disappearance, we as viewers are given a grander view of the hyper-industrialized and artificial future cityscape where all these events occur.

The second half of the film takes a long look into the ideas surrounding the creation of an artificial God-tier being. Much of what Akira presents is way ahead of its time. The film does a magnificent job of answering just enough questions to keep viewers entertained from start to finish, while keeping some open-ended so as not to forget its philosophical aims. A lot of the themes and style of presentation in Akira would later be adopted by sci-fi juggernauts like Neon Genesis Evangelion, and it is pretty awesome to see where many contemporary anime gained inspiration from.

Top five video games and anime of 2012 - Spring contenders

As has become a tradition over the past few years, I will once again be doing a recap at the end of this year of all the anime I've watched and all the video games I've played in 2012. As June is now under way, I feel that I have a strong indication of which titles from those two categories have a good chance of being labeled by me as the five best by the end of the year. The anime and video game titles listed below are not guaranteed to make into the top five of either category, as there are still others I have yet to experience during the remainder of the year. But I do feel that they presently have a good chance at making the cut.

- Video games -

Super Mario 3D Land - In all honestly, this was the most fun I've had with a Mario game since Super Mario 64. That said, I've always been partial to the free-roam Mario games versus the side-scrolling platformers. The way Nintendo has utilized the 3D hardware with this game is fantastic, and despite the fact that the boss fights are a bit redundant, smart level design and impressive replay value make up for it.

Pokémon Black and White - I think it's safe to say that this game is in the top five for certain. I jumped back on board the Pokémon bandwagon with Soul Silver version, and White version proved a fantastic follow-up. There is as much emphasis on strategy as there is on freedom f choosing your team members, and the game presents a great balance of challenge and fun. Though the gym leader battles seem to become easier as the game progresses, the Elite Four battles are epic. The story is rather well-scripted, and Unova feels more alive and teeming with activity than the regions from previous games.

Resident Evil Revelations - Another game that is almost certain to make it to the top five, Resident Evil Revelations is the best Resident Evil title I've played since RE4. It brings back classic horror elements of the older games by placing Jill Valentine and company onboard a cruise ship infested with a new type of zombie. The ocean life theme is a great new direction for the series to take, as creatures that resemble coral, fish, and crabs are as cool to look at as they are terrifying to encounter. Raid Mode presents a fresh new spin on Mercenaries-style gameplay, and the whole package presents what it easily one of the best handheld gaming experiences I have had to date.

Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker - I am not considering the Metal Gear Solid HD Collection in its entirety as eligible for the top five, due in part to the fact that I have previously played MGS2 and MGS3. Peace Walker, on the other hand, is an entirely new beast to me, as I never owned a PSP. Frankly, it is half the reason I purchased the HD Collection, and I find the freedom allowed in its gameplay intriguing. Certainly Peace Walker is not as pretty to look at as either of the two other games, but it is a very full and satisfying experience from beginning to end, and serves as a fitting sequel to the events of Snake Eater.

- Anime -

Darker Than Black: Gemini of the Meteor - It's might not be as good as the original Darker Than Black, but it's a damn good follow-up just the same. Gemini of the Meteor provides a fresh perspective on the relationship between humans and contractors by presenting the story from the point of view of Suou Pavlichenko, a young girl living in Russia. Hei is still important to the story, but take a back seat for the first half of Gemini of the Meteor. It still carries the vibe of the original Darker Than Black, but some of the subject matter and the soundtrack allow Gemini of the Meteor to identify itself as something that is equally similar and different. The staff put some careful thought into this series instead of churning out a crappy, rushed sequel.

Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam - One of my biggest goals with regards to choosing anime to watch in 2012 was picking out many of the classics I missed out on back in the day. Zeta Gundam is essentially the Empire Strikes Back of the original Gundam storyline. As an anime from the 80s, it is not as clean as more modern series. There is plenty of cheesy dialogue and teenage angst. But what it accomplished for its time is truly impressive. The older Gundam series are the primary reason mecha anime is so popular today. Zeta Gundam's story is very well planned, the animation gets better with each episode, and all in all its just plain fun classic sci-fi.

Akira - Another classic, one viewing of Akira made it clear just how much of an impression this film left on the sci-fi anime genre. It's a dark and wonderful look into both the fantastical futuristic city and the practical relationships humans share. The hand-drawn animation is downright gorgeous for its time, and the soundtrack isn't far behind. Trying to explain Akira to someone does not do the film justice. It is something that must be experience to be fully understood.

Cowboy Bebop - This series manages to balance a great storyline with a very distinct musical and artistic style. The end result is one of the most entertaining and just plain fun series from the mid to late 1990s. Spike, Jet, Faye, and Ed play off one another wonderfully, with each presenting a distinctly different personality. The show places emphasis on creating a new subgenre of the sci-fi anime, but just as often succeeds at delivering a very genuine and human story. The show has lots of funny scenes, plenty of action, and even a few sad moments that round out the whole viewing experience.

Anime Forecast: Summer 2012

As I mentioned in my summer gaming forecast, I’m going a bit more free form with regards to what anime I plan to watch between May and August, so expect there to be some 'wild card' reviews here. I have found that, with school still going on, it tends to be easier for me to knock a film or two out of the way than a whole series (regardless of how many episodes it is) any given month. That is a large part of the reason that Akira and The Animatrix were among the earliest of my 2012 reviews. In keeping with this, Resident Evil: Degeneration and Ghost in the Shell will be the two anime I will be watching and reviewing toward the end of spring. I have only two episodes left in season two of Sgt. Frog, though, and that may end up getting reviewed before summertime as well. Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood is a key series for me, and I will likely be viewing the remaining episodes of that along with Victory Gundam and Cowboy Bebop. I’m going to sort of juggle the three over the summer, and because of that I cannot say for certain which one will be reviewed first. However, I think it is relatively safe to assume that I will complete FMA: Brotherhood and Cowboy Bebop prior to Victory Gundam.

There are a few other films and series that I am considering for later this year, though I have not made any definite decisions on them as of right now. The only two that I will say that I would like to check out this year as part of my plan to view every Gundam series ever created are ZZ Gundam and the Zeta Gundam film trilogy. Aside from those, the only other Gundam series I have left to view are the original Mobile Suit Gundam and Gundam AGE. And from what little I’ve seen of Gundam AGE so far, the original Mobile Suit Gundam looks infinitely more appealing. Rest assured that I will be reviewing Gundam Unicorn upon the release of the final episodes. At present I have watched the first three episodes, but I do not wish to write up any sort of incomplete review of the OVA.

Anime review: Akira

Considered to be a classic by most anime fans, Akira is part futuristic action flick, part sci-fi cautionary tale. Which is not to say that the film attempts to align viewers' moral compasses, but rather that it explores the potential for unforeseen consequences in dabbling in grey areas; more specifically, the hopes of creating a being greater than human (inspiration that would carry over to the likes of Neon Genesis Evangelion and other works that followed in Akira's footsteps). In many ways, Akira feels like an anime equivalent to Aldous Huxley's Brave New World, albeit with super fast motorbikes and rail guns.

The story is primarily focused on Kaneda and Tetsuo, two longtime friends who are part of the same biker gang. They spend their days in a run-down school, but take to the streets at night, challenging other biker gangs to deadly high-speed races/fights. Following a crash, Tetsuo finds himself in the custody of a government group who has concerned themselves with tapping into the minds of young individuals in the hopes of finding someone whose attributes would allow Akira to return. While no one is entirely certain as to who or what Akira actually is, there is much talk as it has become something of an urban legend.

While Tetsuo is subjected to various tests, Kaneda and company mull over the fact that their friend was taken from them. Upon finding out where Tetsuo is being held, Kaneda hatches a rescue plan, enlisting the aid of a handful of rebels. As the tension builds, so does the bizarre factor. Tetsuo experiences many nightmares that mess with his head, and also learns of the state of similar subjects who came before him - young children whose skin has darkened to a shade of pale green with deep wrinkles set in, as if they aged rapidly.

The animation is quite good overall. The opening chase sequence highlights the strongest points of animation, with highly-detailed backdrops of megalopolis Tokyo and zigzag light trails behind the bikes. For the remaining duration of the film, the animation is largely what is to be expected. For a standalone hand-drawn film from 1988, it looks pretty good. The soundtrack is a curious combination of industrial sounds and traditional Japanese music, both of which suit the tone of Akira very well.

The moments that lead up to Akira's conclusion are the only points of the film that merit harsh criticism. For a film that does so well to play with viewers' heads at key points, the back story of the real Akira is a tad bland and very direct. It's also tackled in a very quick time frame, and could easily have been expanded upon to add greater shock value for the audience. The very end of the film is also rather abrupt, though taking into consideration the way in which events play out late in the film, the finale is not unjustified. The world that Akira builds is as grotesque and subsequently beautiful as the story it weaves. It oozes classic science fiction in every respect, and to that end sci-fi buffs owe it to themselves to see this film.

My rating: 9 (out of 10)