Salutations, traveler of The Internets! Welcome to William's Bloody Hell, so named after our founder, Sir Bloody William.
He is seen in the likeness above in a rare, 19th century woodcut. This
image was rumoured to have been
commissioned after a bout of unpleasantness
in the White Chapel district of London. Do enjoy your stay and peruse our many, varied offerings, much of which cannot be found elsewhere!
:: Today's soundtrack: Logos Naki World "Cool" ::
I like me some Japanese animated cartoons, I do. It is quite a unique genre which encompasses so many other genres within itself. People who make the blanket statement of "I don't like anime" don't make any sense to me for that reason. An anime can be a down to Earth love story, a fantastic journey through space, or take place in a world overwrought with undead fiends. There are so many different types and styles, there's bound to me something for everyone out there. Even with this in mind, even I find myself asking "but what's GOOD?" Living the The Middle of Nowhere, USA I don't have very much exposure to anime in the theater or even on television. I don't get to see trailers for them or even adverts in magazines. If you're a trepid anime newbie looking to give it a try but too afraid to ask that greasy, creepy guy at Suncoast for some ideas, then this is for you.
Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust (feature film). Here's a word I bet you never thought you'd associate with a cartoon: cinematography. Bloodlust has gorgeous cinematography and that's not all. The animation is top notch, it has gorgeous background paints, and one heck of a score. Chock full of vampires, mindless ghouls, and ultraviolence this one's definitely NOT for the kiddies, but it's not a bad way for an adult who appreciates vampire movies mixed with sci-fi elements to spend 103 minutes.
Perfect Blue (feature film). Going on ten years old, but still holds up strong. This film's a creepy psychological thriller with its feet planted firmly in reality (re: no sci-fi bits whatsoever). It's about a girl, Mima, who wants to quit singing and change her career focus on acting. Soon, people who adversely affected her livelihood are turning up violently killed. Under tremendous amounts of stress, she starts to wonder if she herself is the one murdering these people without even knowing it. This movie features exceptional animation (particularly in body movements) and a deep seated plot.
Millennium Actress (feature film). The same production company as Perfect Blue bring us this enthralling tale of an aged actress recounting her life, her films and her ongoing search for a mystery man who came into her life as a teenager. It's all presented as such a detailed interwoven tapestry: her life and her movies coming together as one. Their already exceptional Perfect Blue animation has improved so much that you'd swear you were watching rotoscoping. A beautiful story with a beautiful presentation.
Spirited Away (feature film). Legendary anime film maker Hayou Miyazaki finally took home an Academy Award for his charming film about a young girl who suddenly finds herself in the world of spirits and mystical creatures and has to rescue her parents who were turned into pigs before they get slaughtered and served as dinner. The animation is stellar, if stylized, and the backgrounds are simply amazing. The plot and characters are exceptional, with Miyazaki's trademark use of a strong young heroine in impossibly weird circumstances. Unlike some of the others on my list, this one is suitable for children of all ages.
Project A-ko (feature film). A little something from the 1980s that's as funny now as it was then. A-ko is a movie that shows anime not only has a goofy side, but also a sense of humour about itself. A-ko and C-ko are two best friends who just transferred to a new high school. B-ko offers to show them the ropes at their new school, only she's decided she wants C-ko all to herself and wants A-ko out of the picture. Unfortunately for B-ko, Ako is super humanly strong, so a hand to hand fight is out of the question, so B-ko builds giant robots to dispatch A-ko for her (of COURSE she does. Why wouldn't she?). Suddenly, a bunch of aliens show up and kidnap C-ko! Can B-ko and A-ko work together to rescue their friend? Yes, it's every bit as ridiculous as it sounds and more, but that's the point. Good times to be had by all.
Voices of a Distant Star (short film). Written, directed, and animated all by one man, this was a labor of love. Speaking of love, this is a heart-felt love story of two teenagers in the not-too-distant-future where Earth is at war with other world beings. The girl gets hand picked to serve in the military and goes to another planet in our solar system for boot camp. Soon, she is sent to another star system in search of the enemy. The problem is, the farther you go in space, the longer it takes digital messages to be transmitted to their recipient on Earth. While she's at boot camp, it took six months to get a text message once it had been sent, but now that's she's in another system it takes eight years. Separated by not only distance, but also time, this is one short film that will leave you reaching for the tissues.
Fullmetal Alchemist (episodic). This has got to be one of the finest television series I have ever seen, animated or otherwise. It chronicles the adventures of the Elric brothers, Edward and Alphonse, as they search for the legendary Philosopher's Stone, in a world where alchemy is a refined, respected and practiced art. The animation is decent (doesn't usually get below at least a "good" rating from me), but the plot is absolutely riveting. Just when you get used to Ed and Al on their quest, more details come to light regarding conspiracies, serial murderers, secrets, and treachery. This show does not pull any punches with it's violence and regular characters will die when you least expect it (or want them to). Yes, there is gross violence, but it is central to the plot on all counts (not just violence for violence sake), so I wouldn't recommend this for anyone under fourteen, but everyone else ought to be watching it right this second.
Tenchi In Tokyo (episodic). Tenchi was living the quiet life of a temple-keeper's son when six strange women from outer space came crashing into his life and nothing has ever been the same. The animation here is only "okay" at its lowest point, but the stories of the episodes compensate well. If you watch the first three or four, you'll think it's an all-out comedy, but keep it going and you'll see the sci-fi action of space ships, space police and space pirates, and also some gut wrenching romantic tales. You have to go in the series a little ways before you get the "origin story" of just why these alien women are staying at Tenchi's home, but other than that, it's one great show.
Serial Experiments: Lain (episodic). I'm going to warn you right up front that Lain can be one serious mind fuck if you're not prepared to think while watching. Lain is a high school student who wasn't really interested in computers until she hears a rumour about a classmate who died sending out e-mails after her demise. Curious, Lain checks her ancient e-mail account, and sure enough, she got an e-mail from the dead girl telling everyone how they can leave their bodies behind and have their minds live on on in the wired. Lain now feels she must learn all she can about this idea and about the wired. Many interesting philosophical questions are posed in this bizarre mini series, and if you can follow it all, well good for you. Head trippiness aside, the art is great and so is the art direction and overall concept.
And there you have it, your very own anime starter's list! If you're considering dipping your toe into anime experimentation, any of the aforementioned titles are absolutely fantastic. As for you anti-anime nay sayers, all that I would ask is to give a few of these a try before counting out the entire genre. I like to think anime has a little bit of everything; it ain't ALL Akira, you know. Now you have no excuse to put off "test driving" anime, so get viewing already! I'll let the greasy guy at Suncoast Video know you won't be needing his services.
William (animeniac)
