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.

2012 Year in Review: Anime

One of my major goals this past year was to view a number of anime considered classics by the community/fanbase. While I still feel there are a number of 'classics' I have yet to tackle, I conquered a few major titles this year, as well as some series and films that I simply wanted to watch based on my own personal interest. As a whole, my feelings toward the anime I viewed this year were rather positive - there was only one in the bunch that left a strikingly negative impression upon me. Even something like Deadman Wonderland, a series that I would probably not have otherwise watched had it not aired on the revived Toonami, proved interesting, to say the least. There are a number of series and films I hope to complete in 2013, but before I begin any of those, here is a recap of every anime I reviewed in 2012.

Darker Than Black: Gemini of the Meteor: Her brother Shion and father having left home in the wake of a number of organizations targeting them, young Suou Pavlichenko is left confused as she finds herself wrapped up in the affairs of Contractors. Misaki Kirihara is still present, though her role is scaled back in order to balance the story between Suou's coming of age and learning what being a Contractor is all about and Hei's rediscovering his own aims as he has become a shadow of his former self. The question of where Contractors and humans meet at crossroads is brought back into the spotlight, manifesting more prominently through Suou but also drawing out some comedic moments from the doll July, who grows attached to the lead cast over time. Though the last few episodes feel forcibly convoluted, this sequel series as a whole is far more streamlined and focused than the first. My rating: 9

The Animatrix: An interesting collection of short anime episodes, The Animatrix presents many different interpretations of The Matrix. Some tales focus on events that precede the core films, while most are side stories that bear loose or even zero connections to the major players of the series. There are a few lackluster tales in the batch, but for the most part The Animatrix proves a solid collection. My rating: 8.25

Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam: Sequel to the series that effectively defined the rules of the mecha genre, Zeta Gundam takes the vision of space colonies and mobile suit combat a step further and puts a more serious and notably darker tone on the story. Many years after the end of the infamous One Year War, the Earth Federation has set up a sort of police force known as the Titans to keep the colonies in line and prevent further uprisings. Unfortunately, the Titans abuse their power, sparking the forces of the A.E.U.G. (Anti-Earth Union Group) to retaliate and expose the Titans' trail of tyranny and terrorism. Lt. Quattro Bajeena, ace pilot of the A.E.U.G., takes aspiring Newtype pilot Kamille Bidan under his wing while hero of the One Year War Amuro Ray takes a backseat to other cast members new and old. As a series originally released in 1985, Zeta Gundam has its silly moments, but it is a classic sci-fi epic through and through and delivers a fantastic sequel story to one of the most groundbreaking anime of all time. My rating: 8.75

Akira: What served as inspiration for other highly experimental anime like Neon Genesis Evangelion has become, in and of itself, a classic of its genre. Tetsuo and Kaneda are rebellious teens who engage in gang races and fights from the seats of their futuristic motor bikes. That is, until Tetsuo is taken away by an unknown organization and subjected to all manner of testing. His kidnappers hope to find a new host that can rival Akira, a legendary child whose mental abilities far surpassed those of any other human. Meanwhile, Tokyo is on the verge of civil war, with protesters going toe-to-toe with police and civilians getting caught in the crossfire. Determined to find out just what happened to his friend, Kaneda seeks out one rebel group in hopes that their connections and skill set might provide him the edge he needs. My rating: 9

Resident Evil Degeneration: Though the trailers for Resident Evil Degeneration highlighted a zombie outbreak in an airport, that is only half the story. As series' veterans Leon Kennedy and Claire Redfield peel back layers of the larger story, they discover two separate leads - Leon attempts to track down local Curtis Miller, who was spotted in the airport moments before the outbreak occurred, while Claire looks into a pharmaceutical company named WilPharma. The character models are well-rendered, with plenty of attention to detail like scuffmarks on battle gear and loading mechanisms on firearms. The character models tend to look better when in a heated action scene than when casually walking and talking, however. The action scenes themselves are intense and exciting, if not over-the-top ridiculous. Degeneration revisits territory plenty familiar to Resident Evil fans, but serves as a decent tie-in film. My rating: 7

Sgt. Frog (season two): Avoiding the few low points that came into play during season one, the second season of Sgt. Frog has better footing from the outset. Keroro and his Armpit Platoon have still not yet managed to conquer Pekopon (Earth), but there are plenty of half-baked plans waiting to be hatched. Season two focuses less on parodies of other works, due in large part because the show has better defined itself since the first outing. That said, the parodies it does execute in season two cover a wider range, from the likes of Evangelion to Saturday Night Fever. The show maintains its signature style of humor, with most jokes being appropriate for viewers of all ages but also sneaking in a few that will be better appreciated by older viewers. My rating: 9

Ghost in the Shell: Considered one of the most important and influential anime films of the 1990s, Ghost in the Shell follows Motoko Kusunagi and her team as they seek to unravel the mystery of a hacker known as the Puppet Master. In a world where humans are comprised as much by electronic components as they are organs and flesh, it becomes clear that the Puppet Master is no ordinary criminal, as each lead pulls back another layer of the plot. The idea of the lines between man and machine blurring are familiar to the sci-fi genre, and Ghost in the Shell explores them at only the most basic level. The story simply ends at the moment it is getting good, leaving the whole experience disappointing and seemingly incomplete. My rating: 6.5

Cowboy Bebop: Spike, Jet, Faye, Ed, and Ein make up the ragtag crew of the Bebop, and whose dynamic ultimately plays out like one comically dysfunctional family. As they chase bounties across the galaxy, they run into many different individuals and organizations, most of whom end up bringing along more trouble than Spike and company planned on. But the rounded skill sets the crew possesses is sure to get them out of any pinch, and there's always a few catchy tunes to accompany each action-packed episode. Each planet the crew visits paints a distinctly different vision, from a dusty desert to a giant space casino. My rating: 9

Redline: In the vein of F-Zero, Redline sees racer JP competing at ludicrous speeds with other racers that use anything from traditional wheeled vehicles to crawlers and transformable mecha. The film is hyper-stylized, intensely colorful, and a real visual treat. The story of JP and his partner Frisbee's ties with the mafia make for a decent backstory, while the hidden secrets of Roboworld are considerably less inspired. The film begins innocent enough in nature, though the second half makes clear the fact that this is not a film meant for younger viewers, with a sudden and substantial inclusion of mature content. My rating: 7.25

Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam: A New Translation: a retelling of the 1985 classic mecha series, this three-part film compilation becomes more visually pleasing as it progresses, with the second and third entries utilizing far more digital animation than the first film. Though there is a lot of content cut out in order to accommodate for each film running a little over an hour and a half, most of it is the back-and-forth battle sequences, and thus the films are able to retain the core content and most memorable moments from the original Zeta Gundam anime. The new visuals look gorgeous, though the old animation is layered over with a grainy filter that makes it look unnecessarily aged - something that the original anime's DVD release did not have. With Bandai having put so much work into rendering scenes with new-school animation, it begs the question as to why they didn't remake the films in their entirety. That said, the Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam: A New Translation trilogy is a huge step up from the typical 'cut-and-paste' approach that most compilation films adopt. My rating: 8.25

Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood: A retelling of the Fullmetal Alchemist story, now more closely tied to the manga source material, FMA: Brotherhood once again sees brothers Edward and Alphonse Elric searching for a means to return their bodies to normal after a fateful attempt to revive their dead mother cost Edward an arm and a leg and Alphonse his entire human body. The first dozen or so episodes speed by, with Studio Bones apparently under the assumption that most viewers are already familiar with the 2003 anime. From there, however, the pacing is handled darn near perfectly, with Ed, Al, their allies in Amestrian military, Xingese prince Ling, Ishvalan rogue Scar, and the mysterious Homunculus earning sufficient time to develop. Brotherhood carries a darker tone throughout than the 2003 anime, but is also host to storytelling of a more consistently high quality. In short, Fullmetal Alchemist is a modern fantasy epic that can go toe-to-toe with giants of the genre, presenting a genuinely emotional and human story from start to finish. My rating: 10

Deadman Wonderland: An experimental prison facility/amusement park serves as a twisted and shocking environment for young Ganta, a student who has been wrongly accused of mass murder. Ganta learns that, even with his superhuman Deadman powers, he will need to rely on the help of friends and allies if he hopes to break out of the prison. Though a highly original concept, the creative team seems to trip over themselves at times, with the subplots that would actually prove beneficial to the grander story left unexplored in favor of those that explore less important (and subsequently less interesting) supporting characters. My rating: 7.5

Durarara!!: A presentation of modern day city life in Japan with elements of fantasy and folklore sprinkled throughout, Durarara!! is host to a broad range of characters, each of whom sees a surprisingly full development during the series' twenty-six episode run. There are two major story arcs - the first focused on the headless rider Celty as an urban legend, while the second delves deeper into a dark fantasy scenario as well as the game being 'played' by antagonist Izaya that everyone is seemingly a part of. There are many different perspectives presented as the plot unfolds, so while it might seem like one subplot has been resolved in a single telling, this is not always the case. There are a couple of loose ends left by the series finale, but as a whole the anime does well to wrap up each character's story. My rating: 8.25

Serial Experiments Lain: A product of the late 1990s grunge culture and revival of science fiction anime, Serial Experiments Lain is an existentialist piece that explores the familiar territory of the dividing line between man and machine, albeit in a much different manner than one might expect. The Wired (the series' parallel to the World Wide Web) is a medium through which the titular character seeks information on the suicide of her classmate, as well as a number of experiments and theories surrounding the possibility of the Wired as a separate, yet fully realized world. As Lain becomes increasingly concerned about her own well-being and paranoid about the actions of people around her, she begins hacking and heavily modifying her Navi computer, and in turn discovers the true potential her psyche holds when exposed to the Wired. A trippy show, no doubt, but Lain is by far one of the most complex and thought-provoking of all the landmark anime that emerged in the mid to late 1990s. My rating: 9

Fullmetal Alchemist: The Sacred Star of Milos: A sidestory to the larger Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood tale, The Sacred Star of Milos is actually quite removed from Ed and Al's struggle with the Homunculus. There are brief appearances by Mustang, Hawkeye, and Winry, but the film is primarily concerned with siblings Ashley and Julia Crichton, whose parents were skilled alchemists murdered many years ago. There is a rumor that implies that a philosopher's stone may be held somewhere within the curious border locale of Table City, and constant skirmishes between the Black Bats - a rebel squad from the slums - and the local Amestrian military are as much of a threat to the region's stability as the forces of Creta that lie just beyond the border. The film is notably dark, not unlike the later episodes of the main anime, though the primary villains all fit stereotypical 'evil mastermind' roles. My rating: 7.75

Iron Man: As is typical of Madhouse, the animation in Iron Man is fantastic. Unfortunately, the story ends up getting confused, as the initial problem of Tony Stark's new Iron Man Dio suit being stolen is sidetracked by the appearance of the forces of Zodiac to the point where it is almost forgotten entirely. Each time Tony Stark faces off against one of the members of Zodiac, he gets his butt handed to him before he manages to gather his bearings and defeat the menace of the day. Created first and foremost for fans of Iron Man, this anime falls prey to a number of cliché subplots and simply does not stack up to the quality of the comic books or live action films from which it draws inspiration. My rating: 6.75

Casshern Sins: A most gorgeous vision of a world headed toward extinction, Casshern Sins is one of the most original post-apocalyptic works to be realized in any entertainment medium in recent years. The focus is placed on Casshern, a super-powerful being who is not entirely sure who he is or what he has done, though nearly everyone else seems aware of Casshern having killed Luna and in turn bringing about the Ruin, a disease that slowly rusts away the remaining robots. There are few humans left, and now that the robots are effectively mortal, they begin to adopt human characteristics - or, at the very least, behave in ways they believe to be human. Casshern's role as both villain and savior is an interesting combination, and he must learn to control his destructive nature before he can trust his companions as well as himself. My rating: 9.25

Dragon Ball Z: Wrath of the Dragon: The warrior Tapion was once trapped in a music box as a means to seal away a great beast known as Hirudegarn. When a deceitful alien tricks the Z Fighters into opening the box, the threat of Hirudegarn is unleashed on a nearby city and the Z Fighters attempt to fight it while Tapion hopes to keep the creature at bay with his magical ocarina. Tapion acts as a sort of Big Brother to Trunks, and their interactions echo through events in the main series. My rating: 8

Dragon Ball Z: The World's Strongest: Dr. Wheelo, now freed from his icy prison, seeks to evaluate the power of the world's strongest warriors, gathering Master Roshi, Piccolo, Goku, Krillin, and Gohan in his massive scientific research facility. Dr. Wheelo intends to pit the Z Fighters against his own artificially-created warriors, and then implant his brain in the body of whoever comes out on top. The 'mad scientist' routine is underwhelming, but the fact that the cast is limited to a few key characters helps it stay on track better than some of the later Dragon Ball Z films. My rating: 7

25 Days of Anime - #19: Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam

An oldie-but-a-goodie, Zeta Gundam is effectively to the original Mobile Suit Gundam what The Empire Strikes Back was to Star Wars: A New Hope. It retains many of the same core characters from the original, while further expanding the Gundam universe. With the forces of Zeon long-since routed, the Earth Federation has been reworked to accommodate for a sort of elite peacekeeping force known as the Titans. The problem is, the Titans and their superiors control the Earth and its colonies through fear, which eventually gives rise to the rebel group known as the AEUG.

The AEUG is unique to the Gundam franchise, as it is comprised of forces from both the former Zeon and Earth Federation forces, as well as a few new faces. The spotlight is given to young Kamille Bidan, whose distaste with the Titans leads him to steal one of their Gundam Mk IIs and ally himself with Lt. Quattro Bajeena and the AEUG. While famed pilot of the original Gundam Amuro Ray sort of takes a backseat to this new protagonist, he does spend time wrestling with ghosts of yesteryear. It's a very unusual method of passing the torch on to a new generation of pilots and political activists, but one that allows for a great balance of new and old.

Zeta Gundam is host to a number of cheesy plot devices not uncommon to series from the 1980s. But it takes on a far more serious tone than that of its predecessor, and is generally considered one of the darker Gundam series in the Universal Century timeline. Kamille bears witness to many horrors unleashed by the Titans and experiences a few personal losses, which lend him to reinforce his own values and outlook on the conflict. The dynamic he shares with Lt. Quattro is one of the most unusual and interesting in the entire Gundam metaseries.

Though I'm generally not a fan of compilation films, the Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam: A New Translation trilogy does a surprisingly good job of retaining the spirit of the original series and brings out its best moments in stellar new animated sequences. This is due in part to the nature of many of the battles in the original anime going back-and-forth over the course of whole episodes (or multiple episodes, in some cases). It's not as striking an offender as, say, DBZ, and I'm still partial to the original fifty-episode run. But A New Translation is a solid representation of the Zeta Gundam story, too.

Anime review: Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam: A New Translation

Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam: A New Translation is a retelling of the 1985 sequel to the classic Mobile Suit Gundam. This version of Zeta Gundam is compressed from the original fifty episode format to three feature length films. The first film, Heirs to the Stars, run approximately an hour and a half, while the second and third films - Lovers and Love is the Pulse of the Stars, respectively - each run about 100 minutes.

The updated animation style - which looks downright gorgeous - was highlighted in nearly every promotional piece for this film trilogy. Lighting effects are handled superbly, the colors of the various mobile suits really pop against the dark backdrop of space, and the motions of both characters and mobile suits appear very fluid. What is rather curious, though, is the fact that only about one third of the footage in the first film is rendered in this new style. The rest is retained from the old 1985 hand drawn animation. The transition between the two is quite random throughout, with full scenes shifting back and forth multiple times in a matter of minutes. Both Lovers and Love is the Pulse of the Stars see more of this new animation style included, with roughly fifty to sixty percent of either film's footage receiving the facelift. But the fact that Bandai went to the trouble of rendering such a substantial amount of footage as such begs the question as to why they did not do this for the entirety of all three films. Also, there is a rather grainy filter over all of the 1980s footage, which was hardly noticeable on the Anime Legends collections of the full anime series.

Obviously the faster pacing of three films versus a fifty episode series calls for some substantial editing. Thankfully, all of the shortened scenes maintain a smooth flow with the grand story, and the few plot points that see minor alterations feel right at home. There are a few minor things that lack explanation, like where the Hyaku Shiki came from and when the Gundam Mk II was painted in AEUG colors, but nothing that throws off the plot. The one scene that does feel like it might have been beneficial for them to include, however, is Lt. Quattro's speech before the Earth Federation.

The film takes a sort of "pick-and-choose" approach when determining which subplots are most important. Amuro's involvement in the series was prominent at a few key points, but has been scaled back even more for these films. Four and Kamille's meeting is left mostly intact, and their romance develops well enough. But the capabilities of the Psycho Gundam are hardly shown off at all, and viewers who are unfamiliar with the series will likely not understand why the AEUG perceives it as such a huge threat. The history of Haman Karn and Lt. Quattro is quickly glossed over, and the brief conflict that Kamille brings up over the Lt. Quattro's identity never comes to fruition.

The new animation is at its best when the setting requires a high level of detail, like the Hong Kong cityscape, or when mobile suits are engaged in dynamic combat, like when Lt. Quattro and Kamille take on the Asshimar. The 1985 soundtrack is carried over, with new intro tunes performed by Gackt. Whoever was in charge of determining where the cut off points for each film should be did a phenomenal job, and the pacing throughout is darn near perfect because of this. The ending has been altered slightly to provide some more concrete wrap-ups for some of the minor characters, as well as present a slightly happier ending for the main cast. While I'm normally not much a fan of these sorts of compilation films, Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam: A New Translation does well to cover all of the bases it needs to and deliver a successful shorthand version of the events of the 1985 anime. It might not have as much time to spend on developing the characters or plot, but it's a fun viewing experience - especially for fans of the series who want a quick and easy means for revisiting the glory days of the AEUG vs. the Titans.

My rating: 8.25 (out of 10)

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.

Top 5 Gundam Intro Themes

When I was planning my various top five lists for this year, most of them leaned toward the video game side of my blog. While I still plan on posting at least one top five list per month, some months (like this month) will see two lists. For February's anime-related top five, I decided to revisit one of my all-time favorite franchises, the king of mecha, Mobile Suit Gundam. I have not viewed every single series in the franchise in their entirety, but I have seen all of the opening and endings at least once. I've decided that I will only allow one intro per series, so the likes of SEED Destiny would be a bit more constrained than, say, Zeta Gundam. These top five are my favorites not just because of how catchy the themes might be, but also because of how well I feel they reflect the mood of each respective series.

#5) Victory Gundam - "Stand Up to the Victory"

Victory Gundam is sort of an odd duck, as it presents the harsh realities of war through the eyes of innocent Uso Evin. The intro theme harkens back to the original Mobile Suit Gundam with its chant-style lyrics. It's certainly an exciting intro theme, though the 'dirty' guitar riffs sort of tie it back to the more adult theme of the series.



#4) Gundam SEED - "INVOKE"

The first Gundam series to be digitally rendered, Gundam SEED is a lot about flash and flair. While the story gets stuck in some cheesy pitfalls during its second half, it's still a series that is a lot of fun to watch. This theme echoes many of the intro themes that preceded it, but takes on an identity all its own.



#3) Zeta Gundam - "Mizu no Hoshi e Ai wo Komete"

A bit more mellow of a tune than the other entries on this list, I feel this song embodies the tragic tale that Zeta Gundam turns out to be. Though I love Kamille Bidan, Lt. Quattro, and practically every other character in Zeta Gundam, not all of their hopes and dreams become realized before their time has come.



#2) Gundam 0083: Stardust Memory - "The Winner"

This is the essence of classic nineties rock. It has a goofy electronic undertone, a singer with soul, and a bit of a repetitive drum part. But I love every minute of this tune. It's a great parallel to Kou Uraki's hopes to become a strong enough pilot to take on Anavel Gato.



#1) After War Gundam X - "Dreams"

The only tune more rockin' than Stardust Memory's "The Winner" belongs to one of the most overlooked, most underrated Gundam series. I think this song suits both the sort of post-fallout world where the story unfolds, as well as Garrod Ran's antics and aims as one of the most entertaining lead characters in any of the Gundam series to date.

Anime review: Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam

As the "Empire Strikes Back" to the original Mobile Suit Gundam, Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam takes place seven years after the end of the One Year War. In the wake of their victory over Zeon, the Earth Federation has reorganized into a much stricter infrastructure. Elite pilots join the Titans force in order to keep the colonies in order by use of excessive force and fear tactics. However, the Anti-Earth Union Group (commonly referred to as the AEUG) is mounting an opposition to the Titans. While the first few episodes detail teen Kamille Bidan's own personal views toward the Titans-AEUG conflict, his theft of the Gundam Mk. II draws him into the battle alongside Lt. Quattro Bajeena and Captain Bright Noa.

The setup is a very interesting contrast to the original Mobile Suit Gundam, as the story is told largely through Kamille and Lt. Quattro. Kamille is aware of the Titans' violent nature and is even more opposed to due them to his father's allegiance to the Titans. Kamille does not take to combat as naively as other lead protagonists in the Gundam metaseries, due to his familiarity with them. However, Kamille does tend to try and reason with pilots, most notably the Cyber-Newtypes Four Murasame and Rosamia. His attempts to reach a common understanding with the enemy often result in tragedy. However, Kamille recognizes certain characters as distinctly villainous, and does not hesitate to attack them, understanding it as necessary for the greater good.

Lt. Quattro is a veteran pilot aboard the flagship Argama, and frequently offers Kamille advice early on. Quattro recognizes Kamille's potential as a Newtype, but doesn't want to rush him into any difficult scenarios before he's prepared to face them. Despite his protective nature, Quattro does not come across as any sort of sage old man brimming with wisdom; rather, he is something of an older brother/father figure to Kamille. His advice stems from his own experiences with Newtypes during the One Year War. Though no one aboard the Argama wants to go out of their way to question Quattro, considering his unwavering loyalty to their cause, his own personal aims and history do not take center stage until after Kamille's role has been properly addressed.

There are a number of familiar faces that show up over the course of the series. Pilot of the original Gundam, Amuro Ray has a story arc that deals with his Newtype abilities post-One Year War, and the fact that he is constantly under surveillance by the Titans. Katz, now old enough to choose his path in the war, aids Amuro in escaping Titan observation and ultimately becomes a pilot among the Argama's crew. Hayato Kobayashi and Bright Noa both play significant roles as commanding figures on the Earth side and space side of the conflict respectively. Even Kai Shiden makes a few brief appearances, offering the AEUG with crucial intel.

In roles that are generally more prominent are the series' newcomers. Fa Yuiry is Kamille's childhood friend and is dragged into the conflict due to his actions. Eventually she joins the fight while having the dual responsibility of looking after orphans Shinta and Qum. Lt. Emma Sheen defected from the Titans, and is among the most serious characters, as well as the most skilled pilots the AEUG has to offer.

On the Titans' roster, Jerid Messa acts as a sort of rival to Kamille early on, but his repeated failures turn him into something of a goofball past the halfway point of the series. Paptimus Scirocco is the series' main villain, and it is clear from his earliest appearances that he is not content with his current role. However, he is shown to be equally patient and calculating. Though Scirocco does not come into the spotlight until the second half of Zeta Gundam, it presents a significant shift in the series' focus, and adds another engaging layer to the storytelling. Similarly, Haman Karn, leader of the Axis forces, does not strike up a prominent role until after the halfway point, but her story follows something of a similar pattern. While Scirocco is interested in his own personal gains, Haman Karn hopes to align as many sympathizers to her cause as possible, using the last heir to the Zabi family, Princess Mineva, as a sort of puppet. Haman Karn displays particular interest in Lt. Quattro, one small part of the larger story that unfolds in a most intriguing way.

Two characters that hit home more closely with Kamille are the Cyber-Newtypes Four Murasame and Rosamia. Four is the pilot of the gigantic Psycho Gundam, and acts as Kamille's main love interest, despite being on the opposite side of the conflict. As part of her transformation into a Cyber-Newtype, the Titans tampered with her memories, leading her to have terrible fits of outrage. The same goes for Rosamia, except her memories seem to have been altered. She believes Kamille is her brother, and ends up doing as much damage to herself as she does to her enemies.

Though there are many characters that are explored over the course of the series, each feels quite rounded out thanks to the fifty episodes allotted. There are a few major characters, most notably Ensign Reccoa Londe, Jerid Messa, and Rosamia who come across as rather flat in comparison to the rest. There are even entire episodes that see their inclusion for seemingly no discernable reason. Meanwhile, the likes of Amuro and Hayato only show up when necessary to the plot and their inclusions, however infrequent they may be, are far more welcome.

The pacing for the series as a whole is quite strong, and the direction the main narrative takes is well planned and quite entertaining. Every story arc sees fitting conclusion, though some take longer to finish than others. Certain events occur regularly, like Katz's childish defiance of orders and Shinta and Qum getting themselves into trouble, to the point where they become easily predictable. Though the final episode sort of just wraps up and ends, the four or so episodes that precede it do well to indicate that the series is nearing its conclusion.

This is an nineteen-eighties series, and as such it does fall victim to clichés of the era. The melodrama frequented in older anime series prevails in a number of episodes, such as when Katz fall for Titans pilot Sarah Zabiarov and Reccoa Londe's feelings toward Quattro. Still, it isn't as obnoxious as with many other anime. There are goofy instances that really don't make a whole lot of sense. For example, the fact that Katz repeatedly defies orders and takes off into battle without permission, but is never once reprimanded for his actions. Or the fact that Jerid's missions constantly end with him getting his butt handed to him by Kamille and the Zeta Gundam, yet somehow every superior officer in the Titans force thinks so highly of him as a pilot. It's little things like this that stack on top of one another enough to stick out like a sore thumb.

Zeta Gundam is pretty action-packed, as is only befitting any mecha anime. From transforming mobile suits, to the gargantuan Psycho Gundam, to the psychic-driven battles that come into play late in the series, there's plenty of variation to keep things interesting. Aside from the traditional mobile suit combat, there are a few treacherous tricks the Titans try and pull, prompting the AEUG to respond in hopes of saving innocent civilians. A few battles even feature shootouts in zero gravity, testing characters beyond their piloting skills.

The soundtrack is not particularly outstanding, as it plays host to a number of tunes that fit the typical eighties sci-fi fanfare. That said, there's enough variety presented to keep if from getting too repetitive. The action-oriented tunes are among the best of the bunch, as they do well to convey the tense, uncertain atmosphere of battle. The animation, on the other hand, is pretty outstanding for its time. It's all hand-drawn and there are a very few weird animation slip-ups. But for the duration of the series, characters display dynamic and highly animated forms while environments are as highly detailed as they are varied and colorful. The animation quality only increases as the series progresses, with the final few episodes containing segments that could pass as having been drawn for stand-alone films. Some of the mobile suit designs look a tad more ridiculous than others, but by and large they prove fitting successors to those most prominent in the original Mobile Suit Gundam, as Hi-Zacks replace the Zeon grunt Zakus while the Gundam Mk II and Zeta Gundam both branch off from the RX-78-2 Gundam.

Zeta Gundam is the second oldest series in Sunrise and Bandai's long-running franchise, and a viewing of just a few episodes signifies just how far Gundam has come since. Zeta Gundam falls victim to a number of clichés and logical gaps that simply aren't always as common in its contemporaries. But it is also a series from the eighties and with that in mind, these sorts of instances are common to shows from that era. Taking all of that into account, Zeta Gundam certainly isn't the worst offender out there, and really is plenty enjoyable to watch. The dynamic that Kamille Bidan and Lt. Quattro Bajeena present is certainly unique in the metaseries, and the two are among the most likeable and entertaining leads in any Gundam series to date. To put it bluntly, Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam is an oldie-but-a-goodie.

My rating: 8.75 (out of 10)

Anime update #5: Fly Away, Now

I'm placing FMA: Brotherhood at the front of the pack with regards to which anime I most want to watch and finish. I'm a fanboy of the both Brotherhood and the 2003 series, and even if I tried to cut myself off for a while to put greater emphasis on other series, I know it wouldn't last long. That said, I will still be viewing Darker Than Black, season two of Sgt. Frog, and Panty & Stocking at a more casual rate. And since Panty & Stocking only lasts thirteen episodes, it's quite likely that I will actually finish it before I finish FMA: Brotherhood.

There are a number of other episodes that I am in some stage or another of watching. I'm five episodes into The Count of Monte Cristo: Gankutsuou, while I've only completed the first couple of episodes of Hero Tales, Eureka Seven, Nabari No Ou, Samurai 7, and Beck. I don't usually feel that the first episode of any given series is enough to give me a strong feel for what te series as a whole is about, so I will certainly be watching more of each to determine which ones I want to stick with and which are simply not my cup of tea.

Which brings me to another point - series that I have dropped. I really tried to like Lucky Star, but I feel like it sells itself as a comedy when, in reality, it is more of a slice-of-life series. And since there are only a handful of slice-of-life series that I actually enjoy, I find it unlikely that I will continue with Lucky Star. If however, I do choose to pick it back up at some later date, I will of courseprovide a review. I also tried watching and sbsequently dropped Rainbow (which proved far too slow-paced for my tastes), Sengoku Basara (which proved far too ridiculous for my tastes), and Moribito (which suffered from both pacing and vagueness, though that series stands a better chance of being picked back up by me than Lucky Star does).

As far as Gundam is concerned, I'll get back to it when I feel like it. It's not that I've completely abandoned Zeta Gundam or my plans to complete every Gundam series in existence. Rather, I just feel like I need a break for a bit to explore other series and genres; mix things up a bit for both myself as a viewer and you as a reader. I am also considering a rewatch of the first anime series I ever watched, way back in 1999: Ronin Warriors. I will probably do 'In Progress' posts if I choose to go through with that.

On a side note, the trailer for the upcoming Gundam AGE leads me to believe this could be the single worst Gundam series ever. But I will still give it a try when the time comes. Gundam: The Origin, however, sounds far more promising (I am somewhat partial to Universal Century over alternate universe series, generally speaking).

So there you have it. Certainly some ambiguity in this posting, but at least you all know what I am prioritizing for viewing and reviews.