If you're not a football or shopping fan, then chances are your Thanksgiving tradition is watching the National Dog Show (all 3 of you).
We listed our Top 5 Anime Cats a while back, so we'd better balance it out with our
Top 5 Anime Dogs
(Behave and you might get a treat.)
#5 - Blue (Wolf's Rain)
Loyal and lovely, Blue is actually part wolf. In Wolf's Rain that means she can appear in human form to other people. And in Blue's case, we'd say she looks much better walking on two legs.
#4 - Sesshomaru (InuYasha)
Another stretch in our list, as Sesshomaru is the son of a dog demon father. But when provoked, this uppity aristocrat transforms into his true dog demon form. And nothing irks Sesshomaru more than his snotty younger half-brother InuYasha. (Might have something to do with little bro cutting off big bro's arm.)
#3 - Mr. Tadakichi (Azumanga Daioh)
A Great Pyrenees nearly twice the size of his owner Chiyo, Tadakichi-san is cuddly like a teddy bear. He doesn't even snap at bite-bait Sakaki, as seen in this video. Even better, Tadakichi gives pony rides. Bonus!
#2 - Washington (Project Blue Earth SOS)
A faithful sidekick to the boy genius Penny Carter, even through an alien invasion. (He can climb ladders, too!) Extra kudos for not laughing at the name of costar Lotta Brest. (What is this - middle school?)
#1 - Ein (Cowboy Bebop)
Everyone's favorite "data dog," this Pembroke Welsh Corgi is smarter than your average canine. Plus, Ein and Edward are master mushroom hunters!
Go smell a rose, or check out http://www.whatsinaname.net/ if you're curious why your parents call you what they do.
As for us, we're talking about the
Top 5 Anime Titles.
We mean "titles" as the name of the anime, not the anime itself. We'll leave that for other lists.
As for THIS list, we're looking at the "anime-est" titles of all anime. Name on!
#5 - Bubblegum Crisis
Not an endorsement for HubbaBubba. Instead, this cyberpunk show borrows from the likes of Blade Runner with more babes and bikes. The title is deeper than it sounds--it's a metaphor for a crisis-filled world, like gum being blown into a bubble about to pop! Okay, so maybe it's not that profound.
#4 - Cowboy Bebop
Another anime in a future world setting, this series features hero bounty hunters (a.k.a. "cowboys") flying around the solar system in their spaceship Bebop. One of the best shows ever, thanks to some cool characters and Yoko Kanno's musical genius.
#3 - Pumpkin Scissors
Another example of food-related anime titles, this show features an elite military squad called Imperial Army State Section III. Not very catchy, so they go by Pumpkin Scissors. Why? Apparently, their purpose is to "cut" through corrupt powers who hide "behind lies, power, and money like the rind of a pumpkin," according to officer Alice Malvin.
Hmmmm, maybe Imperial Army State Section III would be better after all. Call them "IASS III," for short.
#2 - GunXSword
Guns? Cool. Swords? Cooler.
So combine those two cool weapons with the coolest letter of all--X--in between them. That gets you one coooooool title for an anime.
Saying it becomes a problem, though. The X is silent, so don' t call the show "Gunekksssword."
#1 - Full Metal Panic!
It's not just a panic, it's a full metal panic! With an exclamation point. The title alone should clue you in on the melodramatic qualities of this anime--whether it's giant mecha battles or teenage romance. Plus, it's got an exclamation point. An exclamation point! (Another standard for anime titles.)
That gives us an idea. Wanna name an anime show? Just follow our handy-dandy anime name-maker below. Give it a try!
Pick one word out of each group--along with a punctuation mark for that final polish--and you've got one perfectly named anime show!
Mark your calendars: June 27 is the official holiday "Sunglasses Day."
These snazzy spectacles are useful not only for blocking glare and UV rays. They also increase anyone's "coolness" factor by 39%. (Just ask Snoopy.)
In the anime world, sunglasses are even more amazing because they often have to shade such GINORMOUS eyes.
Here are characters with the
Top 5 Anime Sunglasses
#5 - Jet Black (Cowboy Bebop)
Jet goes to show that sunglasses are multifunctional - useful for welding or cooking.
#4 - RenjiAbarai (Bleach)
Soul Society Division 6's lieutenant is a rebel. And we know that because he's got tattoos and wears stuff on his noggin--whether a white headband or the much cooler visor sunglasses.
#3 - Bobobo-bo Bo-bobo (Bobobo-bo Bo-bobo)
Sunglasses probably aren't the first thing that come to mind when you see this hero, with his boffo blondAfro and powerful HanageShinken (Fist of the Nose Hair). But Bo x 7's beauty lies in his final accessory--shades that scream justice against the forces of baldness.
#2 - Roger Smith (The Big O)
How cool is Roger Smith? You means besides the fact that he's got a mansion, butler, android assistant, sweet ride, and giant robot?
Roger's so cool that he wears sunglasses in Paradigm City, a place that makes Seattle look like Miami. Fake dome suns or no, Paradigm City's top negotiator shows that even the coolest can get cooler.
#1 - Tie: Vash the Stampede (Trigun) and Alucard (Hellsing)
Sunglasses = hero
Sunglasses = anti-hero
Vash and Alucard share more than near immortality, nigh invulnerability, and incomparable combat skills. They also sport the same specs.
You can, too, if you shell over a few hundred bucks. Check it out:
The Oscars are coming soon, now double-sized with 10 Best Picture Nominees. That's inflation for ya.
We're sticking to our guns here and giving you the
Top 5 Anime Movies.
[Our criteria: Has to be an original motion picture typically well over an hour in length; no OAVs, OVAs, or whatever folks like to call them.]
#5 - Cowboy Bebop: The Movie--Knockin' on Heaven's Door
Now THIS is how you make a movie based on a hit anime series. Rather than cramming dozens of episodes into two hours, celebrate the show by creating what is essentially an extra-long episode with all its goodies.
With Cowboy Bebop, we get to enjoy our favorite bounty hunters--Spike, Jet, Faye, Ed, and Ein--in yet another cool and quirky adventure. For good measure, toss in a few cameos and nods to elements that make Bebop one of the best series ever. Add some of the finest martial arts fighting and aerial combat sequences--accompanied by the matchless musical styles of Yoko Kanno--and you've got the greatest example of a series-based anime movie.
#4 - The End of Evangelion
And THIS is how you make a movie to finish a 26-plus episode anime series. (Take note, Fullmetal Alchemist.)
End of Evangelion may not wrap up the plot with a tight bow--more like an explosion of silly string--but this movie does provide the absolute, ultimate anime ending of mind-melting apocalyptic ambiguity.
#3 - Interstella 5555
And then there was space opera--literally. This entire movie tells a story through music videos based on music by French technopop duo Daft Punk and animation by Leiji Matsumoto (Space Battleship Yamato, Captain Harlock, Galaxy Express 999).
Not only is the music superb (rock, pop, soulfoul, and more), but the story told through animation alone--no dialogue--is riveting and endearing as we follow the adventures of a kidnapped intergalactic rock band.
#2 - Millennium Actress
Don't let the subtitles scare you. This movie is a love story for filmmaking and anyone in pursuit of a lost longing. If that's not enough, the reality blending sequences are sometimes heart-breaking and other times hilarious.
#1 - (Nearly) Every Studio Ghibli Ever Made
Sure, call it a copout. Or call it a sell-out. We can take it. But we just couldn't figure out which Ghibli film was the best--they're all great*. So to honor Miyazaki and Co.'s masterworks, we're throwing them out here with full honors.
(*Almost all. We're still not overwhelmed with Pom Poko and Porco Rosso--although the latter may just be due to Michael Keaton's dull voice acting dub.)
We're not alone, of course. The Academy awarded Spirited Away with the Oscar for Best Animated Film in 2002:
And here's the trailer for perhaps the best Miyazaki film out there--Princess Mononoke:
Last month was all mecha pilots, all the time.While we love the mecha/giant robot anime genre, we like all kinds of anime.So just to show that we’ve got a sensitive side and aren’t just a bunch of mecha-heads, here are our Top 5
ANIME THAT MAKE YOU CRY LIKE A BABY
[Caution: Spoilers and soiled Kleenex ahead!]
#5 - Grave of the Fireflies (Motion Picture)
No shocker here:Both kids die.Not your regular fanfare from cuddly Studio Ghibli.But even though we know what happens to the kids from the very first sequence, it doesn’t ease the pain.Our hearts fall into pieces as we observe the slow, starving demise of this brother-sister pair in post-WW II Japan.We echo Roger Ebert in recommending this film for all war movie fans—and all film fans with a heart.
#4 - Wolf’s Rain (Episodes 27-30)
Fun fact #1: Wolf’s Rain was originally planned for a standard 26-episode run.That was before the Asian bird flu epidemic near the turn of the century interrupted production schedule.With deadlines looming, the folks at Studio Bones had to whip up a record four recap episodes to act as fillers throughout the show.Following the unresolved ending of episode 26, the creators eventually got things together to tie up the story with an additional quartet of shows.
But after watching them, your tear-stained eyes may regret it. As the heroes (wolf and human) near the sought-after “paradise,” they each fall one-by-one in assorted tragic ways, showing the coldness and cruelty of a dying world.Even the ultimate triumph is bittersweet, as the taint of evil remains in the reborn world.Yoko Kanno’s melodic score only adds to the melancholic tale.
#3 - Trigun (Episode 24, “Sin”)
No anime does a better job of steadily transitioning between goofy episodic adventures to a heart-wrenching odyssey for redemption.Vash the Stampede is more than a lucky humanoid typhoon.He’s a tortured sole who’s vowed to never take a life.But our hero must cross that line near the story’s end, when Vash must choose between letting his friends die or saving them by killing the sadistic Legato.Trust us, V.You made the right decision.
#2 - Cowboy Bebop (Episode 24, “Hard Luck Woman”)
We’ve seen hints of Faye’s past in previous episodes, but we (and she) learn much more about her complicated story in this one.After meeting an “old” friend in her childhood neighborhood, Faye runs to the top of a familiar hill longing to find her family home.But what she discovers leaves her (and viewers) breathless.
#1 - Voices of a Distant Star (OVA)
Nothing opens the floodgates like teenage love.In this case, we’re talking long distance (and diverging chronological) relationships.Mix in a little mecha action and you’ve got gold.
Fun fact #2: Creator MakotoShinkai made this masterpiece entirely on his Macintosh computer. (Take that, PC!)Just goes to show that a great story doesn’t need to be a multi-staffed and multi-million dollar production.
Beyond the teenage melodrama, Voices also uses the physics of space travel to add depth and reality to the tale of our forlorn pair. So it’s not just a good love story; it’s a science lesson too.Suck, it up, crybabies.
Before Akagi was the lead pilot of giant robot Dai Guard, he was just another office worker for the 21st Century Defense Corporation, putting in some extra hours with the PR team as the company mascot. Don't worry, Akagi, you'll be fighting Heterodynes in no time!
#4 - Eri Ninamori as Jack/Marquis de Carabas in Puss 'n Boots (FLCL)
As class president and mayor's daughter, Ninamori has a lot to live up to. This includes making sure she gets starring role in the school play. In the BEST episode of FLCL, we learn that Ninamori is human just like everyone else. But what about those glasses? You'll just have to watch.
#3 - Chiyo-Chan as Penguin (Azumanga Daioh)
The cute gets cuter when child genius Chiyo dons a penguin costume for the school's cultural festival. Just don't trip her.
#2 - Isaac Dian & Miria Harvent as _____ & _____ (Baccano!)
Take your pick for costumes. Isaac and Miria do every time they go on another heist.
#1 - Ed as Pumpkin-head (Cowboy Bebop: The Movie--Knockin' on Heaven's Door)
Ed gets the #1 vote because she's actually going Trick or Treating--well, sort of, to search for a bad guy. Enjoy Ed and faithful Ein on their haunting adventure, starting at 05:45.
Do you have a favorite costumed anime character? Share below.Now go get some candy!
For our first Top 5 list, why not begin with beginnings? Sure, okay! We hear that the beginning is a very good place to start . . .
Openings are critical to draw the viewer in and make him or her want to see more. An outstanding opening has the perfect combination of catchy music, clever credits, and awesome animation to keep us from skipping over it during our DVD viewing-marathons.
Here are our top five favorite anime openings with comments and courtesies of YouTube (no ownership or copyright claims here, just showing what's available):
#5 - Baccano!
A relatively new anime with a cast list longer than the show's death toll (poor gangster thugs), this show's opening gives a deftly woven roll call of the main players accompanied by a stylish jazz tune called "Gun's & Roses." (That's how it's spelled, too. Even so, Axl called; he wants five bucks for royalties and an apology from Slash.)
#4 - Record of Lodoss War: Chronicles of the Heroic Knight
We dare you to watch this opening and not get chills. Who knew flower petals in the wind could be so invigorating? Unfortunately, this magnificent opening only sets you up for major disappointment when you watch the actual show. The episodes are so stiff and sappy that it makes the 1980s Saturday morning cartoon Dungeons & Dragons look like Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings.
#3 - His and Her Circumstances
File this one under "fun." The zany opening encapsulates this teen romantic comedy/dramedy with some of Studio Gainax(Neon Genesis Evangelion)'s unconventional animation techniques.
#2 - Cowboy Bebop
"Tank!" = the classic opening that exudes cool. Everyone remembers where they were when they saw this opening late Thursday nights at the dawn of Cartoon Network's Adult Swim. As a testament to maestro Yoko Kanno's utter greatness, she composed both this toe-tapper AND the epic opening to Lodoss War: Heroic Knight (#4 above).
#1 - Read or Die: OAV
You only have three chances to enjoy this opening during the OAV's trio of episodes, but it's worth it! The animation is top-quality with some of the best cityscapes in any anime. No cheap shortcuts here. We get to see the main characters in original action sequences, enticing you with more story beyond this all-too-brief mini-series. (And the =ahem= shapely silhouettes displaying the credits do some enticing too.) Top it off with some funky/classy spy music and you've got a winner!
So what are your thoughts? What openings do you love? Share below!
Find your favorite anime titles and genres by using the blog SEARCH at the top. Type in key words you're looking for and see what you get! And if you don't find it, tell us what you want. We'll do our best--or at least, our top five!
All characters and artwork shown in Top 5 Anime are trademark and (c) of their respective owners.
