Anime

August 11, 2007 For the past couple of years I haven't had much time to watch anime. I might even say that I've outgrown it, although I still maintain that it's not *just* for kids (like American cartoons are). Lain and Ghost in the Shell have had lasting effects on my interests and philosophy. The others, for the most part, were simply entertaining.

I've been fascinated with Japanese history and culture from the time I was introduced through philosophy readings. There are many anime series out there that I try not to waste my time with, but there are quite a few beautiful, thoughtful anime that I find stimulating. Animation allows more freedom of expression than film, giving the director more control over what the viewer sees. Anime is one part of Japanese culture that has inspired hope in me to visit Japan someday.

Get your own

Want to watch some anime? If your local video store doesn't have enough to give you your fix, I recommend downloading Bittorrent to get unreleased or unfinished series. Bittorrent is a peer-to-peer file-sharing program that allows you to download chunks of files (anime episodes) from other users after you download a 'map' to those files. To download anime, just search google for the series you want, in addition to the keyword bittorrent. You should be able to find sites similar to this one, and download the bittorrent (*.bt) file, and then open it with the Bittorrent program. A good source for reviews and descriptions of anime is AnimeNfo. Many thanks to the kind, bilingual souls who spend time subtitling for the rest of us. Happy downloading! Oh, and we should always buy the series if it is licensed. *cough*

Films

Akira - A classic. Go rent it.
Cowboy Bebop: Knockin' on Heaven's Door - Yeahhh...good stuff. Watch it and the series.
Ghost in the Shell - A good intro to the series (see below).
Princess Mononoke - Beautiful movie by Miyazaki.
Spirited Away

Series

Berserk - One of my favorites, this is a somewhat dark anime with a medieval setting reminding me of the high fantasy I grew up reading, with a dash of political commentary.
Cowboy Bebop - A great anime with a great soundtrack. Very smooth and relaxing.
Escaflowne
Evangelion
Full Metal Alchemist - Although more of a children's anime, I enjoyed watching the sometimes antic characters mature.
Full Metal Panic! - Not so great, in my opinion. I suppose it was a bit funny.
Full Metal Panic? Fumoffu! - Eh. It's alright.
Ghost in the Shell: Stand-Alone/Complex - An anime that enjoys questioning identity, consciousness, and more in a future where the lines between humans and machines have blurred significantly. Lovable characters populate this thoughtful police drama.
Love Hina - Addictive romance with some a few hilarious elements. A classic.
Naruto - Addictive, but a lot of arcs.
Noir - Dark and goood.
Trigun - A lot of fun - cool characters and a good plot.
Rahxephon
Scryed - Good characters, fun plot, and exciting action.
Serial Experiments Lain - Surreal; powerlines humming, silhouettes, traffic lights. It's about networks: people, the internet, society. A favorite of mine.
X - Good vs. Evil, grrr! A lot of building tension...feels epic.